How sustainable are your design practices?

Graphic designers intentions are often in the right place when it comes to practicing sustainably. They advise their clients about using soy inks and recycled papers. They design eco-friendly products. They embrace the idea of designing "cradle-to-cradle" and consider the life cycle of products. However, designer Jessie McGrath argues in her MFA thesis that "the idea of sustainable design is an illusive goal because a product can never be truly sustainable by virtue of the fact that it is a product."In her thesis McGrath questions whether or not sustainable design is an oxymoron and quotes Nathan Shedroff, chair of the MBA in design strategy at California College of the Arts. Shedroff states, “A sad truth is that almost every solution designed today, even the most ‘sustainable’ one, has more of a negative impact on the planet than a positive one. This means that the world would be better off if most of what was designed was never produced.”McGrath offers one solution in the form of "The Yellow Shed," a prototype for a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people live well and consume less. Find resources for turning green design yellow along other links to learn more.Sources:Nathan Shedroff and Hunter Lovins, Design Is the Problem: The Future of Design Must Be Sustainable (Brooklyn, NY: Rosenfeld Media, 2009), xxiii.