Be Kind to the Environment
Ink and paper are fundamental to the graphic design business, but we can make choices that are environmentally friendly without compromising design standards. In fact, many projects are enhanced by the use of soy-based inks and recycled papers. Read Greener Printing from greenoptions.com for more details.
Beyond ink and paper, try going paperless in your office and encourage your clients to do so as well. I always request document edits in Word format. It’s so much easier for me to cut and paste changes than it is to sift through handwritten (often illegible) notes. I send PDF invoices and keep all of my back-ups on an external hard drive rather than in a filing cabinet. Whenever I make a business related purchase online, I print the receipt to PDF, not to my ink-jet printer.
Just some food for thought…
I’ve been a designer for 20 years. I started in the days of waxers and transfer letters, transitioned to the computer in the late eighties, and tackled web design in the early nineties. I’ve tried to keep up with all of the software and technologies of the trade, from HTML to CSS and JS, Pagemaker to InDesign. I’ve worked in both worlds–freelance and corporate, finding that they both have their upsides and drawbacks. It’s a challenge to stay current, but it’s my passion and the perfect profession for someone who never wants to be bored! I hope that I have something valuable to offer other designers.