Tiny Design Firm Takes on Climate Change in David and Goliath Battle

(PRLEAP.COM) Vancouver, BC - Vancouver graphic design firm, smashLAB, is rallying graphic designers around the world to use their influence and purchasing power to combat climate change. Through their initiative, Design Can Change, visitors can access sustainable design resources online, learn more about global warming, and view green design projects by acclaimed designers. The site also allows design buyers to browse a directory of designers who have made a commitment to sustainability by taking the Design Can Change pledge.

A tiny firm of four people (the fourth is the Creative Director’s mom who comes in to do bookkeeping once a month), smashLAB wouldn’t seem to have much muscle in the fight against global warming. However, the studio remains confident in its ability to invoke major change with their project.

“Ten months ago, we started to consider the amount of waste designers are responsible for,” says Eric Karjaluoto, Creative Director at smashLAB. “According to the AIGA, their members alone specify or purchase $9.1 billion in printing and paper. I don't have a global number on that, but it does illustrate how integral we are in this supply chain. It struck us that we are the hubs that link industry, business and consumers; additionally, we're small enough (as a practice) to organize our strength and make substantial impact.”

smashLAB has also gained the attention of the design community through their widely-read blog, ideasonideas. The blog has received industry awards, recognition from trade publications, and mentions on other popular blogs and design portals. By perpetuating publicity throughout the blogosphere, smashLAB’s blog has garnered a large (over 40,000 visitors monthly) and loyal following from the designers around the world—something that will allow their efforts with Design Can Change to reach a large audience quickly and without requiring a prohibitive marketing budget.

At the core of Design Can Change is a pledge—five guidelines that ask for a designer’s commitment to a sustainable practice and green mindset.
“The actionable items we have established with the pledge are less focused on the specifics, such as ink, paper, and so on. Instead, it is a framework that guides choices and enables action. These five simple points encourage designers to: engage in the topic; consider their choices carefully; put their knowledge to use; share information with others; and unite with the community to spark change.”

By taking the pledge, designers are added to a directory that green-conscious design buyers can search. The directory will be one of the few readily available listings of its kind and will attract the growing number of businesses that have added sustainability to their business models. According to Livio Desimone, former Chairman of 3M, “The sustainability agenda is developing faster than any other part of the business agenda I know… the relevant understanding and skills are likely to be necessary conditions of success in the 21st century business world.”

Design Can Change has been a completely pro-bono project for smashLAB. They spent over 10 months and 1000 hours to research the issue, compile the content, and build the website. Additionally, the project will require an unforeseeable amount of publicity and ongoing maintenance by the four-person firm. All this effort was spent with the knowledge that no returns should be expected—Design Can Change is a not-for-profit initiative and involves no fees.

Vancouver—known for its multiculturalism and lush landscape—continually tops annual livability surveys, which is perhaps the key reason why grassroots social and environmental initiatives are so often spawned by its residents. The city is the birthplace of Greenpeace and Adbusters, and home to the David Suzuki Foundation.

For more information, please visit www.designcanchange.org

About smashLAB:
smashLAB is an interaction design studio with expertise in cohesive design solutions. They also publish the award-winning blog ideasonideas.