I never thought I'd say this, but I wish I lived in Los Angeles. Not because I like big cities, celebrities, or smog, but because the Los Angeles chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, recently held an event called CO[LA]BORATE: SEEing Green that brought together two of my favorite topics: design and sustainability.

CO[LA]BORATE: SEEing Green was held on April 19th, just in time for Earth Day. Although I wasn't there, I got the inside scoop on the event from people who were. Hopefully, events like this one will become more common as awareness of green issues spreads through the graphic design industry. AIGA is encouraging designers to get together on a local level and hold Green Design Salons such as this one, so I'm anxiously awaiting one closer to home.

According to AIGA Los Angeles, the event was a great introduction to green design and event organizers certainly practiced what they preached by making the event carbon-neutral:

AIGA Los Angeles, the professional association for design, presented Co[LA]borate SEEing Green on April 19th, 2007 at CiscoHome in Los Angeles. The event offered an opportunity for designers and other creatives to learn about new products, tools and services that are Sustainable, Environmental and Ecological. And because AIGA Los Angeles took into account the potential carbon footprint required to host and execute such an event, the organization purchased offsets from the Carbonfund, making Co[LA]borate SEEing Green carbon-free!

Phil Hamlett presents on green design practices.
Attendees experienced presentations from leaders in green design, including Joy Evans of Mohawk Fine Papers, who discussed the impact of paper manufacturing on the environment, what certification really means, and how Mohawk is future-proofing its paper production and distribution in order to protect the environment. Phil Hamlett of the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design gave an insightful presentation about how to implement green design practices in your own business, while giving voice to these efforts through client branding and communication projects. Cisco Pinedo, co-founder of CiscoHome and host of the event, talked about how he was first inspired to change his manufacturing processes by using FSC certified and organic materials. His message was a passionate plea for designers to pay keen attention to the materials we use in our offices and homes so that they support sustainable practices and a healthy planet.

Those who attended also got to sample organic, local, sustainable and vegetarian food and beverages. Sustainable and well-designed products were on display, and not only was the event carbon-neutral, but attendees were encouraged to take the Metro to the event to lower their transportation impact.

Events like this one renew my hope that my industry will be part of the force that changes the world for the better. Designers are in a unique position to create change and lead the world towards sustainability, and as they realize this, there will hopefully be more discussion on green design and more designers incorporating sustainability into their practice.

I would like to thank Natasha Wang, Bonnie Powers, and others at AIGA Los Angeles for sharing photos and information with me about this event.

Links: AIGA Los Angeles, AIGA Center for Sustainable Design, SEEing Green.