By ignoring the negative impact of paper manufacturing systems, designers are supporting the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Paper distribution puts forests at risk which requires a huge amount of energy and produces harmful greenhouse gases. According to the Environmental Paper Network, increasing paper production by 20% within the next 15 years puts resources like water and raw materials at risk while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. However, producing recycled paper compared to virgin paper have a more positive impact on the environment. Graphic designers tend to overlook the choice of paper for packaging, brochures and name cards that could harbour large consequences to the environment and accelerate climate change.
Graphic designers do not see the direct impact of design that contributes to climate change and thus unable to see how sustainability is relevant to them. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that It is important for Singaporeans to be responsible and take action, and it all starts with education. In January 2019, the Minister for Education introduced environmental education into various academic levels to prepare students with the right knowledge to encounter climate change. However, the government’s actions towards environmental education are targeted towards primary schools, secondary schools and universities in general but no mention about educating design students in art schools like Lasalle College of the Arts, The Glasgow School of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of the Arts and School of Art, Design and Media specifically to be more responsible in producing sustainable designs.
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An example of an art school that implements sustainable graphic design in curriculum is Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). MCAD Sustainable Design Faculty is an online course for designers from all fields including graphic design to learn about sustainable practice, theory, and techniques. As a higher education level, they take on the responsibility of challenging the status quo in the industry and be an influence in society.
The problem is that there is a lack in sustainable practice, theory, and techniques taught in current graphic design pedagogy while different creative fields like product design and architecture are already adopting sustainable design in Singapore’s art schools. It is logical to rethink graphic design pedagogy in Singapore as educators plays an instrumental role to equip students with the knowledge. Therefore, introducing sustainable graphic design in art schools as a starting point would accelerate conversations on sustainability in Singapore’s industry and create positive impact on the environment. Graphic designers that are eco-minded and well educated can communicate knowledge with stakeholders to aid clients in making more sustainable decisions and make positive social change. This study argues the demand for sustainable practice, theory, and techniques to be taught at graphic design academies in Singapore.
The sustainability movement is starting to gain momentum in Singapore since Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced actions to tackle climate change in his National Day Rally 2019 speech. The Zero Waste Masterplan was launched not long after by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) to save Semakau Landfill, the only landfill in Singapore, as it is predicted to be full by 2035 as the amount of waste Singapore have produced seven-fold for the past 40 years.
In the context of Singapore embarking on sustainability and taking actions on reducing waste, this calls for an opportunity to introduce sustainable practice, theory, and techniques to be taught at graphic design academies in Singapore whereby graphic designers can be well educated in designing environmentally friendly packaging and choosing eco-friendly materials.
This paper aims to accelerate conversations on sustainability in Singapore’s graphic design industry. It will equip graphic design educators and graphic designers, who are enthusiastic about sustainability, to gain knowledge about sustainable graphic design in Singapore. This research intent are: (1) to determine the current perceptions and understanding of sustainable graphic design; (2) to investigate the challenges that are hindering sustainability from being incorporated into graphic design pedagogy and, (3) to find out why schools are slow in recognizing the importance of educating graphic designers about sustainability practice.
The literature covered in this review are gathered from a range of books and compendiums on sustainable graphic design and printing methods. This review also consults existing articles and websites to support discussions related to the topic which would provide sufficient background knowledge on sustainable graphic design. The review starts with establishing the definition of sustainable graphic design that will discuss current frameworks and insights from key figures on the role of graphic designers. This section also discusses the general background of sustainable graphic design in Singapore industry. The review ends with insights from sustainable graphic design educators.
Sustainable design is a very broad topic and there are many existing frameworks and approaches to it. Wendy Jedlicka mentioned in Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems, and Strategies for Innovative Print Design that one of the first definitions of sustainability goes back to 1987 by the United Nation’s World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Commission) which is In contrast to this definition, Chick and Micklethwaite wrote in Design for Sustainable Change that the definition of sustainability is to AIGA also explained in the brochure for Print Design and Environmental Responsibility that sustainability considers social, ecological and economic factors.
In general, the definitions of sustainability brought up across the readings are similar as it basically means to sustain life on Earth. As simple as the definition sounds, it is a complex topic in context to sustainable graphic design. As Chick puts it, sustainability covers a set of complex ideas that cradles human awareness and responsibilities in ecological and social factors. Thus there is no straightforward lesson to teach how graphic design can be sustainable in art schools as it takes into account many aspects and considerations. However the ultimate goal is clear, it is to sustain life on Earth and graphic designers have the responsibility to do so.
Many authors across the readings mentioned the Triple Bottom Line framework. The Triple Bottom Line framework is commonly used in businesses and organisations where it consists three factors: (1) Environment; (2) Economy and (3) Social.
Eric Benson, an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois and a member at the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design mentioned about another framework by AIGA which is a Quadruple bottom line, The Living Principles for Design framework. Based on the framework, sustainable design infuses four factors — (1) Culture, (2) Environment, (3) People, and (4) Economy where graphic designers are agents of positive change and influence in society. Initiated by AIGA, The Living Principles for Design framework is a catalyst for driving positive cultural change helps graphic designers find projects with social impact and creates opportunities to solve complex community problems. The Triple Bottom Line framework is the most commonly used in the industry and not only for the design profession. However, The Living Principles for Design framework by AIGA is meant for designers to use. Thus teaching sustainability to graphic designers should include educating them on The Living Principles for Design framework. An article essay by Design Observer explained what makes this framework different from
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