Working in prepress, I come across a great deal of waste. Wasted time, wasted ink, and especially wasted paper among other things like wasted electricity and print products such as plates. Much of this could be resolved ahead of time at the design stage – creating a more green workflow and saving money and time in the process. What can a designer do?
1: Use less ink.
How important is this? Well, someone invented a font called ECOfont which illustrates in itself the importance of saving ink and demonstrates a novel way to do so. No, I'm not saying use EcoFont for all your design. A better idea is to use a design that has impact, but reduces ink coverage. This is where creativity is really important - there's part of designer's mind that wants to inundate the viewer with eye-candy … but often the simple stuff leaves the most memorable message.
The downside of using less ink is that isn't glamorous. It isn't really even seen as a sustainable thing to do in the general public (yet). But at the same time, that where the brilliance resides. When someone asks about your client's brochure, they can explain why it is so sparsely spectacular - and learning and inspiration is passed on. Not to mention a positive image for your client (and you).
2: Design for the sheet the job will print on.
This is completely counter-intuitive for some designers who like artistic freedom. But when you tell your client that the printing cost is $2000 less because you chose to design this way, your green decision will have the ambiguity for which you will be proud.
The one frog to leap in this process is to make sure print-bidding is resolved before the design stage begins. If not, just be sure you are designing for a standard sheet size for the quantity that will print. Another sure bet is to simply design smaller and/or use a standard 8.5x11 or 5.5x8.5 finish size. OK - many designers (like myself) like a non-standard finished size - so again, try to design for optimal sheet usage - you may even insist that this is done because the most costly thing in the printing costs is … PAPER! Yes - negative space is a great tool, so this is a balancing act for sure. Find a creative way to use paper rather than leave it on the bindery floor.
3: Use digital proofing
This saves a huge amount of time and resources. Whenever possible, send a proof via e-mail or whatever setup you have with your printing company. When in doubt, ask and explain why you would prefer to use this method.
4: Direct mail? Look Out!
A correctly designed mailing piece can literally save thousands of dollars in charges from the post office. Basically, the post office has automation set up - and they want you to use it! Something as simple as rotating the mailing panel so that it opens on the top (folds at the bottom) can make a huge difference in price. In this case price = cost that makes jobs inefficient and less "green".
5: Insist on sustainable products
Vegetable based ink. Recycled paper. Hand-made paper with seeds in it? … there are always new products that take advantage of efficiency and sustainability. Consider these things carefully when planning the design.
6: Don't greenwash.
Green is obviously a trend, so do things for the right reasons. If a special green logo adds to the footprint of your job, who needs it?
6: Be prepared to explain why.
I struggled with confidence throughout my early years as a designer. I wouldn't insist on things that most times I would look back on and regret that I should have. Since we as designers know about the subject, we should show a bit of swagger and let our customers know how we feel and why we insist on things that could sometimes seem trivial to others.
7: What does local mean?
The value of "think globally, act locally" is real and true. Whether we are talking about the economy or the environment, it is always smart to consider using a local establishment to get the job done. Of course, since we can do many thinks remotely (like sending files and proofs), you can always weigh this into the equation.
Again, creativity and planning go a long way in this process. Designers can plan ahead but still allow for a great deal of artistic activity when producing a job.
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