How Far Can We Go Green?

Posted on | September 18, 2008 |

Designer and one of the founding editors of Wallpaper* magazine, turned sustainable educator, Toni Spencer, and former gardener turned management consultant turned environmental charity founder, Tim Macartney, got designers thinking about the risks they faced before going green in an emotional session of greengaged on Wednesday afternoon.

The idea of stepping out of our comfort zones and taking personal and professional risks towards a more sustainable, environmentally sound world, touched on some sensitive issues for the participants. Worries included not knowing how bad the environmental situation really was and that on our own, we’re too insignificant to make a difference.

Frustration at being guilt tripped into a panicked response to environmental problems bubbled under the surface while participants were asked to share how they felt about taking creative risks and whether they felt positive about the future and how their work and personal lives could be focused towards sustainable change. Some thought that guilt-tripping was necessary given the current state of the environment. Others argued that making change shouldn’t come about because you feel guilty. Feeling guilty about the parts we’ve played in the environmental problems in our world isn’t what it’s all about.

We ought to be thinking about making changes because we want to enjoy a better life and improve our part of the world, for us to benefit.

Embercombe is an action-based environmental charity run by Macartney which has plenty of ways to get people thinking about what they can do for sustainability. Some key questions designers can ask themselves include:

What is your comfort zone?
How do you feel when you take a creative risks?
What worries you about taking risks?
What sort of life do you want to lead?

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