Andrea Ellsworth

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SURVEY FINDINGS July 20. 2008



“Yes, because designers do have

the power to make a dierence.” –Danny Wu

Should schools oer courses on sustainable design? Why?

“Yes. Going into an industry with such

a huge carbon ootprint, we need to be

aware o the consequences.”

– Andrea Ellsworth-T.

1

“Yes, students should become aware

o their impact on the environment in

relation to their work.”

– Jason Mazariegos

“Absolutely. The curriculum

at design schools needs

to catch up & surpass the

knowledge base o the

students in order to inspire.

Right now the students

are more savvy than the

instructors on sustainability!”

– Amy Leaman“Denitely, the act that we have the power to infuence trends

through design, we get the opportunity to learn new things. And

why not have resh ideas or great causes.” – Andrea Rualez

“Yes. Because we have a

duty to give back.”

– Bernard Hellen



“Yes. Sustainable design is constantly changing/

evolving and I think its important to be able to

have that discussion in an education system.” –

Kristen Lim-Tung

“Yes. In concert with other

endeavors to marry the

concepts o responsibility and

making a living.” – Kim Bauer

“Yes. It is the new designer that comes into

the industry that can institute change.”

– Mark Herd

Should schools oer courses on sustainable design? Why?1

“Yes! Next generation designers need to have

sustainability at the top o their minds.” –

Simón Rojas

“Yes, students need to be

inormed and understand the

risks & actions necessary to

take regarding sustainability

in design.” – Sarah Lott

“Yes. Design is never in a bubble.

The natural world has always been

an inspiration to designers. We must

preserve it.” – Pat Keenan



Name one specifc tool you would fnd helpul in learning about sustainability.2

Environmentally safe ink WidgetClient Sales Materials

Resource guide of suppliers

Meet-ups & lectures Workshops

Details about offset – beyond throwing money at tree-planting

Point of Sale

Printing ResourcesWebsite

Articles

Media



Are you or any o your colleagues/peers aware o the FSC X Designation?

3

8

NO

(62%)

YES

(38%)

13



Should the RGD orm a committee on sustainability?

4

21

NO

(0%)

YES

(100%)

0



Would you attend meetings?

5

NO

(5%)

YES

(95%)

1

20



Would you volunteer?

6

NO

(5%)

YES

(95%)

1

20



Do you know your carbon ootprint?

7

5

NO

(76%)

YES

(24%)

16



Buy a lot less unnecessarystuff to the goal of reducing

energy consumption and

waste in the manufacture

and transport of that stuff.

Eat more locallyUse less water

Stop eating meat

8Name one action you can implement in the next 12 months in order to reduce your

carbon ootprint.

Fly lessBullfrog Power

GO public transit

Stop driving to work

Travel Mug

Switch my purchases to

recycled materials as much

as possible.

Help my apartment building implement the new

recycling systems this summer (ie. Green box).

Don’t use plastic bags anymore.

Purchase carbon offsets for the

traveling I’ve done.



Reduce usage of car – take transit

and take time to walk to destinations.

8Name one action you can implement in the next 12 months in order to reduce your

carbon ootprint.

(Part.2)

Enforce recycling at home

and encourage/petition

certain companies.

Switching lights and faucets to

energy saving.



How do you commute to school/work?9

10

Transit(47%)

Biking/Walking

(43%)

2

Driving(10%)

9



On a scale o 1 to green, how green are you?10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10(GREEN)

x 4

x 6

x 8

x 1

x 1

x 1

AVERAGE: 6.5



Is your computer on right now?

10

NO

(55%)

YES

(45%)

11

11



How robust is the recycling program at your studio/school (e.g. paper, glass,

plastic, organic)?

12Very good

Basic

Not great

Pretty good

Paper only

Horrible

Lukewarm at best

EverywhereGood

Fairly involved

Not great

Not robust enough

Pretty good

Fairly

No organics

Paper only

No organics

Non-existent

A pile of shit

Not robust at all

Not very



Is your workplace or school osetting their carbon output?

18

NO

(86%)

YES

(14%)

3

13



Does your studio buy carbon credits?

14

YES

(10%)

No

(76%)

3

N/A*

(14%)

16

2

*STUDENTS/NOT SURE



Does your frm personally do pro bono/social good projects?

15

YES

(62%)

No

(33%)

1

N/A*

(5%)

7

13

*STUDENTS/NOT SURE



Are you aware o Bullrog power?

17

NO

(20%)

YES

(80%)

4

16



Are you aware o Zero ootprint?

14

NO

(33%)

YES

(67%)

7

17



Do you provide your clients with more sustainable options?18

YES NO

1

SOMETIMES

67

N/A*

7

*STUDENTS/NOT SURE



Do you eel that your clients would be receptive to your suggestions regardingsustainable options?

19

YES NO

1

SOMETIMES

0

13

N/A*

7

*STUDENTS/NOT SURE



Are your clients asking you or more sustainable options?20

YES NO

1

SOMETIMES

0

N/A*

77

*STUDENTS/NOT SURE



I you could add a question to this survey what would it be?21

What are the steps to becoming a more

sustainable individual?

Who has inspired you to

be sustainable? Do you have a travel mug…?

What do you do to encourage

‘sustainability thinking” in the

people around you?

Do you understand your

impact on the world?

Are you disillusioned and over-whelmed by this growing trend toward

sustainability? How can we help?

How would you ‘Spread the

Word’ better?

What would make it easier

to be green?

When you design, do you

consider the items lie cycle?



WHAT IS THE SMALLEST THING I CAN DO



TO MAKE THE BIGGEST CHANGE?

Buy & use local products

Shorter ShowersTurn things oMaking Habits, thinking o the outcomeLaunched a designation or graphic designers with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC Xpert)Communicate the message, change yourselGiving/ContentCombat the stigma o throwing awayThrowing garbage into the designated cans.Reusing oam take-out containers.

Eat more responsibly (locally)Inorm and share inormation. Pay attention. Ask. Dig.Continue learning more and educating mysel and passing that on to others.Lead by example, take responsibility.Awareness o what I am buying so I consume less.Re-use paper or oce work and printing.

WHAT ISSUES FACE TORONTO TODAY?



EnvironmentalLitteringFamilies not spending time together.Access or knowledge o where healthy/local ood is.Public transportation issuesPovertyHomelessness and mental illness, income gaps.

Social housing

HOW ARE DESIGNERS IMPLICATED IN

GREENWASHING? HOW DO WE AVOID IT?



GREENWASHING? HOW DO WE AVOID IT?

Ask QuestionsA new proessionResearch

As designers we are compelled to communicate, and unortunately conficts o morality can arise (money orcost o living VS conscience).Be involved in the whole process. JUST SAY NO (unless you can change their mind, or nd value in the project)Designers Responsibility to sway to actual action.Art Director - Sustainability DirectorCreative Director - Social DirectorProject Manager - Cultural DirectorKnow your agency. Do your research. Understand what you will and won’t do/support. Ask Questions.Do your research. Understand your own sense o morals. Know who you’re working or and what they will and

won’t stand or.Advertise eco-riendly initiatives (eg. Bring travel mug & get a discount)

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MAKE CHANGE?



Brought in recycling bins to my last oce and reminded people thatrecycling isn’t just or at home.Purchased a ticket to the Antarctic to study the eects o climatechange with scientists in order to take what we learn and create globalawareness to make a dierence.Written and published articles to inorm others on how they can makethe world a better place.

Made an eort to lead a liestyle that utilizes organic living elements(urniture, ood, clothing)Involvement in various not-or-prot groups (girl groups, handing outlunches to homeless, mission trips, undraising, church organizations)

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Andrea Ellsworth