Systems Thinking for the Graphic Designer 101
The planet and humanity needs designers to change the way they make things.
December 7, 2019
Systems Thinking for the Graphic Designer 101
The planet and humanity needs designers to change the way they make things. This was the astutely accurate thesis from the 2002 book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart.
Their book changed my life. I had for some time wondered what negative impacts all the printed ephemera I designed had on our natural environment. I worried about deforestation, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It wasn’t until after reading their book that I was fully aware of the negative environmental and social impacts the designer created. I was confused and frustrated. I quit my job, went to graduate school, started the non-profit Re-nourish, and even gave a TEDx talk about it.