Swissmiss just released a question about sustainable design, with helpful links on the comments. check it out!! (I really ♥ this one) (& for how to be a greener designer part 1, it’s here.)

Without restraining and punishing yourself.

Global warming, pollution, GMO… All this reveals a frightening future, for us, and our childs.
Of course, things won’t change in a second. But we can’t just look at our deceasing world without batting an eyelash — trying to control our own “ecological footprint” is already a reasonable way to decrease toxic emissions. I must admit I’m not a green messiah: I use far too much water, I  consume a lot of electricity and use too much electronic devices. 

But there are a few steps you can follow to try and reduce you pollution level:

1. Don’t drink bottled water. (Especially when making coffee.)
This might be the easiest yet more economic thing you can do. Bottled water is not really better for your health — it’s actually less controlled than tap water, several studies have shown that they contain as much bacterias as tap water, if not more. Plus: plastic bottle production, transportation, & stocking it are heavily polluting actions. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, there are a lot of filtering carafe on the market. And don’t forget that you already pay for water in your everyday charges. Why pay twice? 

2. Try new ways of transportations.
Most of the time, when you live in an urban area, you don’t really have to take your car. Public transportations, cycling, going by feet… Every single one of these solutions is cheaper, sometimes easier, and probably better for you health (be it mental or physical) thn driving in the traffic jams. Going to work by a “green” way can also help your daily inspiration! See it as a way of improving your concentration. 

3. Get a green printing house.
There are now vegetal inks and recycled papers all aroud the place. Try to get in touch with a printer who uses them, and maybe that also takes care of more global environnemental concerns.
It’s also a very popular commercial argument these days: you might even get more projects this way!

4. Get a local printer.
Sometimes this is not compatible with the above. But reducing transportation means less oil, less polluction, and less money spent.

5. Send you files via FTP.
Cheaper than sending them via tranportation services, easier than burning a CD each time you have to send something.  

6. Recycle.
Use already printed sheet of paper to make yourself notebooks. If you run your own buisness, try to enfore recycling habits: printing on both sides of a paper is more economic for you too!

7. Use low-consuming lightbulbs and rechargeable batteries.
More expensive at first but really cheaper on the long term.

8. Suscribe to online newspapers.
It’s free, and it’s paper and ink free too.

9. Consume locally produced food.
Going to the local market is not only cheaper, but also quite fun. Buy yourself vegetables that you’d never heard of before, and that are produced near you. Less oil for the transportation, more taste than a banana that had to ripe in a boat hold = double pleasure!

10. Cook your own food.
Easier to say than to do. But transformed food is far more expensive, and eally less tasty. It’s better for your health, and you’ll probably learn a few cooking tricks that can amaze your mom. And that has no price, huh.

There are a million things that you can to do to reach a sustainable lifestyle, as buying only from thrift stores, being a vegetarian, or stop eating sushis and taking baths. Those I haven’t achieve yet, for I love eating red meat with french fries, sushis and taking far too long hot baths.
But  try hard to get better, and so I’m open to all your suggestions as to be a greener designer!

Thanks,
Zélia.