Exercise #1 :: Frame
This thesis will not attempt to brand sustainability, though I will contribute to the visual vernacular of the cause. I will do this without resorting to descriptions requiring “sustainable” or “green,” and without using current visual clichés related to the domain.
This thesis will be more than a list of dos and don’ts. It will be more than a list of sustainable design materials. It will be more than a list. I will find more engaging ways of being a “sustainable” designer than telling others what they are doing is wrong (e.g. how can our existing design systems [computers, printing, etc.] be harnessed in new, more interesting ways?).
There are plenty of books out there that graph, chart and diagram the current climate and carbon problems (Atlas of climate change, Incovenient Truth, IPCC briefs, etc.). This thesis will not be one of these books.
This thesis will not be about carbon counting or global warming. This thesis will be about answering the question: “what does sustainable graphic design look like?” for myself.
This thesis will not be a regurgitation of other authors work. I will draw inspiration from many readings (Cradle 2 Cradle, How Buildings Learn, In The Bubble) but this thesis will be a unique work that outlines my own “manifesto” of sustainability.
At no point do I want myself or my audience to feel bored or depressed by information that I unearth and choose to display. This thesis will not be a downer. My goal is hope, optimism and opportunity.
The end result will be a mélange of essays, lists, texts, prints, diagrams, and more, all created in a way inspired by the rules / guidelines I will create.
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Assignment text on micadesign.org