Design to Renourish

Design to Renourish shows how the role of graphic designers, or all designers, have matured during the last few years. We are now much more responsible in the ways we work, what we produce, and how we contribute to the world. Eric and Yvette illustrate this with examples and stories that shows us that graphic design is more than just pushing pixels, learning the latest applications, or designing cool posters. Our profession impacts our world in every aspect; by the resources we use to produce physical deliverables to the cultural implications of the messages we convey.

Eric and Yvette leave the reader with a summary of graphic design today, capturing key insights from what they learned while putting this book together. They challenge professionals and the industry itself by prompting them to consider, or reconsider, the ways designers have been working over the last few decades-suggesting better, more resourceful ways our field can (and should) move forward as we face environmental and societal challenges.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more practical lessons, approaches, and frameworks. This should be on the book shelf of every student and professional looking to raise their level of design responsibility.

-Marc O'Brien, Design Strategist, Creative Facilitator, Design Educator. Co-Founder of The Determined. A design-led collective taking a punk rock approach to social innovation.

In Design to Renourish authors Eric Benson and Yvette Perullo ask the question, "What are the unintended consequences of design work over time?" The answer: countless trees cut down, millions of gallons of water wasted, rising levels of CO2 and more. However, by employing sustainable practices and systems thinking, the authors illustrate through a series of compelling case studies how much positive impact designers can actually make. Design to Renourish not only provides practical knowledge, but an incredible list of resources that are essential for any designer ready to commit to being impact-focused.

- Shana Dressler, Executive Director of Google's 30 Weeks