Two designers explore sustainability worldwide | new publication

“It’s Not Easy Being Green: Two Designers Exploring Sustainability Worldwide” is a new publication by Aart van Bezooyen and Paula Raché that brings together six months research visiting inspiring sustainable design projects in a dozen countries worldwide, including many in Asia.

http://vimeo.com/51024794

Together with almost 60 designers, entrepreneurs and change-makers from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Latin America, they share experiences, project examples and local culture to inspire and enable a more sustainable future.

What can designers do for a better future? With this question in mind the “It’s Not Easy Being Green” project was initiated by Aart van Bezooyen (Dutch) and Paula Raché (German), two designers living and working in Germany. They started the project in 2011 to get a better understanding of the fuzzy concept of sustainability and its role and importance for design. During 184 days, they explored a dozen countries to discover sustainable solutions in materials and design worldwide. During their journey they offered inspiring lectures and hands-on workshops to teach and learn about the local issues and practices of designers. On the way they met, discussed and worked with local professionals and students in New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Japan.

The book is a MUST for everybody who considers herself or himself a designer of the future.

says Zuzanna Skalska, a recognized trend researcher who was one of the first readers. With this book Aart and Paula bring together the people, places and things they discovered during their travels to share their experiences. Personal contributions from the designers, entrepreneurs and change-makers they met are combined with local impressions and inspiring items discovered along their way. With designers making skateboards out of bamboo, researchers improving packaging products, children doing green studies in the jungle and surprising ways of (re)using materials, this book is an encouraging sustainable snapshot of what is happening in the world today.

The authors believe that it is crucial to share experiences and learn from each other. In their own words:

Sustainability is all about you, me and everybody else, therefore this book is not only addressed to designers but encourages everyone to take action and learn by doing.

Check out the itinerary and some of the Asian design projects they visited and present in the book:

Wonderground in Indonesia

Green Drinks in Vietnam

and Malaysia

Club Creative in Thailand

Good Design Australia

This book is not for sale but donations are collected to support Viva con Agua, a charity organization that supports people with clean drinking water worldwide. Aart and Paula believe that happy reading goes very well with helping others. With more than 250 color photos of people, places and things for your inspiration.

www.itsnoteasybeinggreen.net/book

http://vimeo.com/51024794 (Video)

• New book (limited edition) by the initiators of the “It’s Not Easy Being Green” project

• First prize winner of the 2011 Sappi Ideas That Matter Award in Europe

• Including personal contributions of almost 60 designers, entrepreneurs and change-makers

• Foreword by Niels Peter Flint, co-founder of the O2 Global Network on Sustainable Design

• Inspiration lecture on February 24 at the MCBW event (see more information on page 2)

ISBN: 978-3-00-039177-4

Authors: Aart van Bezooyen and Paula Raché

Support partner: Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli e.V.

Pages: 176 / Photos: 250 / Format: Softcover

Publication: 1000 books (limited edition)

Language: English

More information: www.itsnoteasybeinggreen.net/book

Carousel image: recycling plastic bottles in the Gili Islands, Indonesia.