Warsaw, Poland
September 2024
Collaboration with a graphic designer - Katarzyna Pustoła.
conduct an audity of unsustainable practices in the local climate action centre, and find new sustainable alternatives
The Design and Planet project focuses on implementing sustainable practices in graphic design. It began with educational workshops and evolved into a practical redesign process for a nonprofit organization. The aim was to reduce resource consumption and develop more conscious and responsible design solutions. The project explored graphic materials, their life cycles, and created alternatives aligned with ecological values.
Visit project’s website
As a co-creator of Design and the Planet, I focused on identifying problems related to the use of graphic materials and designing solutions aligned with sustainable design principles. Collaborating with Kasia during the redesign of the Climate Activism Center Gniazdo, I applied insights gained from earlier workshops and my design expertise. My contributions included analyzing the existing situation, developing practical solutions, and testing alternative materials and methods. Notably, I designed an eco-sticker for XR's energy efficiency campaign and participated in experiments for replacing plastic pins with ceramic alternatives.
The most significant challenge was designing for a dynamic activist environment where organization is spontaneous and self-managed. Creating "clutter-resistant" solutions required both creativity and an understanding of users' practical limitations.
Another challenge was finding local, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional printed materials, which are often non-recyclable.
The main takeaway from this project is that sustainable design requires critically questioning the need to produce new materials and items. Sometimes, the best solution is minimizing production or reusing existing resources. The locality and simplicity are just as important as aesthetics, and handcrafted items can carry deep social and regenerative value.
The project resulted in practical solutions, including:
- A magnetic board with reusable letters instead of single-use posters.
- An eco-sticker designed specifically for XR’s campaign.
- Experiments with ceramic pins as an alternative to plastic gadgets.
Design and the Planet has been nominated in the Project of the Year 2023/2024 competition organised by STGU ( Association of Graphic Design Creators)