Following the publication of the UK-government commissioned Stern Review into the financial implications of global warming, designers are having to take green issues much more seriously.

Although designers are generally a fairly socially aware bunch, until recently environmental issues haven’t been on top of the agendas of many in the industry. Indeed, compared with other service industries the electricity burning, paper using and ink consuming design sector could actually be described as lagging behind other more environmentally friendly .

That, however, is a situation which is likely to change. Back in November of last year the government-commissioned Stern Review was published and did much to highlight the extent of the environmental crisis facing not just the design industry, but the whole UK economy.

As well as highlighting the severity of the environmental situation, the Stern Report had some tough advice for business throughout the UK “The overall costs and risks of climate change will be the equivalent of losing at least 5 per cent of global GDP, each year, now and forever” the report warns.

But is this something the design industry is likely to take on board? According to John Morse Brown, founder of Morse Brown Design, this is a process which has already started. Typical of a new breed of environmentally aware businesses, Morse Brown Design goes out of its way to reduce its carbon footprint, all the way from sourcing and using greener forms of electricity to cycling to meetings.

“In terms of what we do as a company its quite small scale, but it underpins the company ethos and that makes a difference “ Morse Brown says.

Another organisation determined to make sure the design community really takes the issue on board is Design Can Change, a non-commercial initiative set up by Canadian studio called smashLAB to pull together designers concerned about environmental issues from all over the world.

The organisation is aiming to get the design community to use its collective strength to influence change and also to implement a set of standards designers can work with to make their own contribution to reducing greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions.

Part of Design Can Change’s strategy is to persuade designers to take its pledge to understand green issues, adopt sustainable practices, share information and build awareness for sustainability and effect wider change through the influence of design.

Although launched only earlier this year, the organisation is already attracting wide scale support throughout the global design community suggesting that, perhaps now that that the extent of the environmental problem is finally emerging, designers have the opportunity to do something to really make a difference.

www.designcanchange.org