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Social change. It’s the adoption of new behaviour on a scale that is visible and sustainable.

Design. It influences our daily lives: our work, our habits, our outlook.

Practivism. It leverages design to catalyze the change our world requires. Designers are investigating the complex challenges facing the world, and our problem-solving abilities are being put to the test. We’re asking each other and ourselves: can design ignite change? Can we design with people, not for people?

Or, is design the problem?

We don’t have all the answers, but we are pausing to ask the questions. Join GDC/BC for a dialogue about design’s role in creating social change. Read the rest of this entry »

To all those green minded guests at Practivism 2008, who signed up for pre-release copies of Brian Dougherty’s ‘Green Graphic Design’, Sophia Books has announced your copies have arrived! And Brian has generously sign ‘em all—so please get down to Sophia and pick up your copy today. Apparently there are also a few extra unclaimed copies for those of you asleep at the wheel…or rather the handle bars…because we don’t drive cars anymore right?!
Special thanks to Sophia Books, Brian Dougherty and Celery Design for adding further value to being a part of the GDC!

Sophia Books
450 West Hastings St. Vancouver
call 604 684 0484
Hours:
Mon to Fri. 9am - 7pm
Sat. 10am - 7pm
Sun & Holidays 12pm - 6pm

Photos from the event "Practivism", hosted by GDC/BC at Science World in Vancouver, November 13th, 2008.
Marc Alt, Brian Dougherty and Eric Karjaluoto each presented their strategies and suggestions for practical activism within a design practice.
Following their presentations GDC/VI President, Valerie Elliott moderated a question and answer period.
Great evening, good food, some mingle and lots of input from the speakers as well from the audience.

Check out the photos on flickr

Video to come soon…

Have your perception of sustainability in the design community updated with someone of the most forward thinking and progressive industry leaders on sustainability.

The Society of Graphic Designers/BC Chapter and event sponsor Rhino Print Solutions welcome you to the second in an ongoing series of design speaking events. For this event we are proud to welcome Marc Alt, Brian Dougherty and Eric Karjaluoto along with guest Moderator Valerie Elliot, some of the most recognized names and industry leaders for Design Sustainability, to discuss their strategies and suggestions for practical activism within a design practice.

When: Thursday, November 13th, 2008 6-10PM
Where: Science World at Telus World of Science 1455 Quebec Street. Map of Location
Tickets: Members $15 / Non Members $25

Event now SOLD OUT!.

More information available at practivism.ca.

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Congratulations to long-time GDC members and supporters Ion Design for their recent work with sustainability initiatives. Their One Good Idea contest challenged companies and individuals to come up with a good idea that reminds people that even small steps can contribute to massive change over time.

Their panel of distinguished judges chose the Montreal-based Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Cooperative (SSG) to receive the $25,000 award to put toward the development of their One Good Idea with Ion providing strategy and creative services to develop a campaign strategy and promotional package.

Congratulations guys - well done!

I had an epiphany years ago about what it means to “be productive.”

“Productivity” is defined in economic terms as the “amount of output created (in terms of goods produced or services rendered) per unit input used.” ^[1] Input, in the case of design, is a mixture of the physical materials involved in the creation of design artifacts, and the non tangible energy and ingenuity involved in the design process. In the case of my own design practice, I sincerely hope that the output I generate ultimately has value.

Saying that, of course, summons the incredibly complex, sprawling, and seemingly unanswerable debate about the nature of value itself. What is value? Who decides what has it and what does not? Do values evolve?

However unanswerable the debate may seem, it comforts me to know that there are a group of designers in Vancouver tackling the issue head on.

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Sustainability is a topic near and dear to my heart, especially when it casts Design in the role ’stalwart supporter of a brighter future.’ It is therefore my pleasure to bring you news of a traveling poster exhibit, created by the GDC Vancouver Island Chapter, with this reassuring message: “Design Cares.”

From the exhibit’s website:

“Graphic design is young: 95% of the graphic designers who have ever lived are alive today. Together we can still define our profession: will it be about inventing visual lies to create larger market share, or will it be about taking responsibility for helping build a better world?”

Read the rest of this entry »