Redefining ‘Sustainable’

Katie McKenna Daniels is trying to save the planet one sustainable design at a time. As the design director for Vermilion Design in Boulder, Colorado, she created logos for Noodles & Company, Bingham Hill and the CU Art Museum of the University of Colorado, and it was at Vermilion that she learned the importance of reducing her clients’ environmental impact. She recently relocated to Maryland and started her own business, McKenna Daniels Design. I had the opportunity to interview her about her philosophies on sustainable design for AIGA Baltimore’s first newsletter, Connect.

What made you start exploring sustainability?
When I was working for Vermilion, I was introduced to fair trade and organic. One of my first sustainable designs was for Allegro Coffee (purchased by Whole Foods). Allegro was unique because they purchased beans grown on small farms with shade-grown trees, which allowed songbirds to thrive. Most coffee is grown on large plantations where many birds cannot live. Who knew you could think about songbirds when you buy coffee?

What is your definition of sustainable design?
I feel there are two ways to approach sustainability as a designer. The first option is using sustainable materials and producing less waste. Designers can use FSC certified papers, inks and printers. We also can push to print only what is necessary, design efficiently and consider using the internet more for detailed information.

The second option is to design for clients whose product or service promotes the health of the planet. These clients could include organic farming, family planning, energy reduction, civil rights or any organization you feel is making the world a place where people will want to live in the future. My clients do not always fall within this category, but then I work harder to apply traditional sustainable solutions.

Have you found sustainable design is more expensive for clients?
Consumers are willing to pay a little more to support products and clients they perceive as Green, so a client investing in sustainability can payoff in the long-term. However, there are ways to keep costs down. For example, designers can consider moving detailed content of a printed piece to the company’s Web site. This way, the printed collateral is less pages, which usually allows the use of recycled paper and a FSC printer while staying within the client’s budget.

Do you give clients the option of not being sustainable?
I will always ask how important it is to the client because many clients want everything to be FSC certified, which is a pretty strict guideline. When they are new to sustainable design, I try to teach them and make recommendations. I don’t force sustainability on my clients, but I do try to educate them about it.

Can you talk about one of your favorite sustainable projects?
I loved working with the City of Boulder to create an outreach program encouraging residents and businesses to reduce energy (BeClimateSmart.com). We built a Web site where people signed up. They used an interactive map and a carbon footprint calculator to see who was participating and everyone’s progress. It even became competitive between neighborhoods as to who was lowering their carbon footprint more.

How do you feel design relates to sustainability?
As designers, we do our best for the future of the planet by creatively supporting good clients and integrating sustainable practices into our work and home life. Who could ask for a better profession?

If you want to contact Katie or see more of her work, visit MckennaDaniels.com.