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Desktop Magazine interview with Andrew O’Keeffe, Studioalto. June 2009
Please tell us you name and a bit about your education, background, current employer and your role there?
Andrew O’Keeffe
Founder and Creative Director, Studioalto
BA (Graphic Design) Honours, RMIT University Melbourne
Founder and creative director at Studioalto, Andrew O’Keeffe began the design consultancy in 2006 to provide sophisticated, creative design and marketing to positive commercial and public interest organisations, while reducing the ecological impact of their communication design and production. Andrew combines 10 years of professional experience in design, marketing and advertising in Melbourne and London with a passion for community, environment, social justice and a healthier, brighter future. Andrew has given presentations to tertiary students about eco-design and design responsibility, and has taught conceptual development and branding/ publication on a sessional basis.
What does the term ‘sustainable design’ mean to you?
Environmentally sustainable design (ESD), in a broad sense means the ability to maintain, through design, the current state of the environment by avoiding further depletion of our natural resources. However, whether our current rate of resource consumption is sustainable for continued life on earth is another question all together…
To me professionally as a communication designer, it means making every effort to communicate my client’s message with minimal environmental impact. It also means, and perhaps more importantly, working with clients who have a positive impact on our community and environment.
Tell us a bit about Studioalto, what are some of the ways it is promoting sustainable design/ how does sustainable communication design consultancy actually work?
Studioalto was borne of a desire to believe that design can be more than a wasteful tool of unchecked consumerism. Pre-Studioalto, the work I was doing as a designer wasn’t in tune with the way I lived my life out of work hours. I wanted to take more responsibility for the kind of work that I produced, and who I produced it for.
I once heard that if one person in every work place in every industry stood up and was responsible for environmental sustainability, pretty soon we would all be in a much better place. So rather than go through an early career crises or go live in a tree, I decided to make it happen.
With this in mind I started Studioalto with two main objectives -
Firstly, to work with and promote progressive, positive clients that share our philosophy.
To be on the same page as our clients, to believe in their products and services and support their work. Studioalto services a diverse range of sectors including government, health, education, social welfare, eco-tourism, carbon trading, sustainability training and strategies. The majority of our clients are progressive, inspiring and are committed to social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Secondly, to provide the most appropriate environmentally sustainable design and production solutions available. Eco, green, sustainable, environmentally friendly - whatever you want to call it, the simple objective is to achieve maximum visual impact and minimum environmental impact with our clients communications, and within budget. We choose to work exclusively with suppliers that are committed to environmental sustainability, and communicate our eco-design and production decisions with our clients every step along the way.
Just how bad an impact do you think the current industry has on the environment?
Broadly speaking, the design industry has a considerable impact on the health of the environment in terms of resource consumption and waste. Of course, there are different degrees of impact, depending on the importance of the message or information being communicated, the medium and the choices made by the designer.
What needs to be considered when designing with sustainability and the environment in mind?
Two things: responsibility and choice. A designer who considers the environmental impact of their work and makes informed choices in the execution of the work chooses to reduce its environmental impact.
Fundamentally, it is the responsibility of the individual designer to decide if the message they are communicating on behalf of their client is one worthy of all the energy and resources that go into producing it.
After this, there is any number of choices a designer can make to reduce the environmental impact of their clients communication— digital or print; if print – virgin, sustainably managed or recycled fibres; full or two colours… there is a long list of options available, none of which are limiting to the design process.
Why should designers be pushing sustainable design as an issue with their clients?
Like any other professional—or human being for that matter—designers have a responsibility to ensure that the work they produce on behalf of their clients is as environmentally sound as possible. I don’t think anyone consciously wants to rubbish the environment, however most clients wouldn’t have a good understanding of how resource intensive and wasteful communication production processes can be – it is a designer’s responsibility to understand this themselves, communicate it to their client, and make the most appropriate choices.
What do you think it will take to change attitudes towards sustainable design and environmental issues?
To be honest, with the developed world now distracted by a Global Financial Crisis, I think it will take an environmental catastrophe to change the government’s and the general population’s ambivalence towards the environmental emergency we’re confronted with. And in this context, it sometimes seems that ‘sustainable design’ is just tinkering around the edges when what we really need is urgent action across all levels of society. But, I believe that every positive action will bring us closer to positive change – the only question is will it be soon enough? Right now, while consumption is stagnating, we have a great opportunity to reassess our situation and choose: do we want a future that places significant value on the health of our environment; or will we resume business as usual and continue on down the same path of economic growth at any cost…
With so many facets of industry promoting ‘green’ products these days, how can consumers tell that the product they buy hasn’t just used the idea of ‘green’ as a marketing buzz word?
I think the fact that promoting a product as green / eco / sustainable with the understanding that these values are ‘good’ is a very positive thing - it wasn’t too long ago that everything considered ‘green’ was considered as fringe or tree-hugger. Whether or not that product or service lives up to its promise is another issue altogether, and I think consumers are wise, and perhaps cynical enough to sort the true green from the green-washers. From a designer’s perspective, it comes back to responsibility – if you don’t believe what the product or service claims, it is your responsibility to be truthful in your execution.
Also, how many on those in the industry do you think are greening up their act as opposed to just saying they are?
Again, the simple fact that it is now on the agenda is a positive thing. There are different shades of green. Whether it is an effort by the studio to start turning their computers off at night and buying organic coffee, to ensuring that all of their suppliers have environmental management systems and educating their clients, it’s all a step along the path to sustainability.
Many people seem to have an underlying assumption that ‘going green’ is going to be too expensive and/or is going to mean producing an inferior product.
What do you think a further push towards sustainable design will cost the industry in time, money and quality?
There is no reason to suggest that designing with a sustainable philosophy will increase costs – quite the opposite – ESD is about conserving and making the most of resources, which also makes the most of your budget.
Global warming is a pretty daunting thing, what would you say to those in the design world who either have their head in the sand or who are shocked in inaction?
Whether you are a global warming sceptic or not, I would say there is nothing lost by cleaning up and improving our wasteful practices and making the most of our resources.
What are some practical ways up and coming designers can employ greener practices?
Key areas in the design and production process that can be controlled by the designer range from the simple things like minimising energy consumption in the studio by turning computers off overnight, to big picture stuff such as influencing the disposal of the communication product at the end of its life.
Throughout the design process consider:
What is the best way to communicate to the audience?
Is print appropriate or would a website, email or pdf be equally or more effective? Electronic communication reduces environmental impact greatly.
If print is most effective, what is required to produce the proposed design?
Can recycled materials be used? Alternative or renewable paper sources? Vegetable based inks? How much energy? Pollution? Hazardous waste? Talk to your printer
How will the product be disposed of?
Every communication product must expire at some stage—how will this happen? In a mass grave as landfill or could it be reincarnated as a reusable or recycled resource? Does the message justify the waste?
Over the past few years there have been a number of sites advocating environmental sustainability in design –ie. designbynature.org etc These are a great resource to get started.
Why are designers best placed to promote sustainability and the environment?
Designers are well placed to be advocates for environmental sustainability as they are in the fortunate position where they can influence both clients and suppliers.
We can prompt our clients to consider environmental sustainability and let them know that we can guide them through the process. I’d be very surprised if they baulked at the idea of doing something positive for the environment.
We can also ask our suppliers if they have environmental management systems and if not, why not? The more times they are asked, the more likely it’s going to become a priority. And if not, it comes back to choice - there are plenty of other companies out there across all industries who are making environmental sustainability a core value of their businesses.