Do The Green Thing

Bloody Meat by Mathieu Frossard Visual artist Mathieu Frossard...

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:41:00 +0100

Bloody Meat by Mathieu Frossard

Visual artist Mathieu Frossard has treated us to a stomach-turning poster to tie in with the UK’s National Vegetarian Week.

“In every creative production, the visual aspect remains one of the key elements as it helps catch the attention of the viewer and thus communicate a message in a more efficient way. The image is intended to be a disgusting yet fascinating representation of flesh. Like an attractive revulsion, I hope it can capture a viewer’s attention to deliver the message: slow down on the meat and go for more vegetables.”

WHY?

It takes over 11,000 litres of water to produce half a kilo of beef. This is the equivalent of taking a seven-minute shower every day for six months.

HOW?

The VegOut app reviews and directs you to vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants wherever you are in the world, making green dining more practical than ever before.

We’re selling this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £10 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

New York Pentagram partner Emily Oberman tweaks the iconic...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:47:00 +0100

New York Pentagram partner Emily Oberman tweaks the iconic ‘Walk Don’t Walk’ street sign so it beams a message that we believe in.

“I was sitting with my team and we were tossing around something like “Don’t Not Walk” as kind of a variation on “Just Do It” and someone said what about “Don’t Don’t Walk”, and it was a little silly and also perfect. Those words, plus the little word ‘Walk’ at the bottom of the poster, feel so powerful - two statements made from four words that are actually only two words say it all.”

WHY?

A study in Sydney found that motorists face a higher rate of emission exposure than people who walk or cycle.

HOW?

Having caught our attention with their ‘buy one, get one tree’ campaign, Planet Flops are perfect for summer strolls. They are made from naturally sourced rubber and you receive 10% off your next order for each pair you recycle.

We’re selling this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £10 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

Don’t Bottle It by Stuart Watson Venturethree’s Stuart Watson...

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:29:00 +0100

Don’t Bottle It by Stuart Watson

Venturethree’s Stuart Watson used his poster to argue his case against splashing out on bottled mineral water.

“Being born in Bolton in the north west of England, my character is a perfect blend of manliness and stinginess. My inability to understand why my southern counterparts pay for water is part-financial and part-environmental. 27m tonnes of plastic is used to bottle water worldwide each year all because one in five people are ‘slightly nervous’ or ‘too scared’ to ask for tap water. I say, man up and ask for tap.”

WHY?

To produce a bottle of Fuji mineral water and air freight it from China to San Francisco via Fuji requires almost 7 times more water than it holds.

HOW?

Ohyo are taking tap water to the streets with their cool collapsible water bottle that slips into your pocket.

We’re selling this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £10 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

Lights Out by Hudson-Powell Design company Hudson-Powell have...

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:46:00 +0100

Lights Out by Hudson-Powell

Design company Hudson-Powell have created this rather endearing poster, encouraging us to show light bulbs a bit of compassion.

“In the Shinto religion inanimate objects are often given a persona or spirit to help people relate to them in a more humanistic way and to create a dialog with the object. Taking this idea and applying it to light bulbs, making them delicate living things that need rest and can dream seemed like a playful way of getting people to remember to turn them off.”

WHY?

Lighting a typical office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1,000 cups of tea.

HOW?

If constant switch flicking is blistering your fingertips then check out Plumen - the world’s first designer low energy light bulb. It will save you 80% on your energy bills and lasts 8 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb.

We’re selling this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £10 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

Meat Luis by Liverpool Lad After reaching out to millions...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:55:00 +0100

Meat Luis by Liverpool Lad

After reaching out to millions with our 23 Posters campaign in support of Earth Hour, we are launching a weekly poster mail out to keep the inspiration flowing.

The first poster is by Liverpool Lad, who gives a word of warning to Liverpool FC footballer and creator of controversy Luis Suarez after he sunk his jaws into a Chelsea defender in Sunday’s match.

“Luis Suárez’s bite was an iconic carnivorous moment. When I saw it, I felt the need to make a statement to Luis, Liverpool fans and the world that excessive meat eating is bad for the world. Next time Luis is hungry, he should take a bite out of a falafel rather than flesh and set a good sustainable example.”

WHY?

7 football fields of land in rain forest are cleared every minute to make room for livestock related industries.

HOW?

Abel & Cole’s delivery service will keep you cupboards stocked with seasonal greens and spuds or, if you fancy branching out, supply you with more raunchy and adventurous veg with their ‘Gourmet Box’.

We’re selling this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £10 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

Get Weird by Dan Germain and Ben Williams 23/23 For the final...

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:50:06 +0000

Get Weird by Dan Germain and Ben Williams 23/23

For the final poster in our Earth Hour campaign, Dan Germain, the Creative Director of innocent, worked with Ben Williams to create this image highlighting the good things that happen when you turn off the lights.

“Worrying about climate change is all very well, but the real question is… how will it affect our sex lives? Football matches? Discotheques? You know – the important stuff. Our poster sets out to investigate this possible future, where everyone lives in the dark, all of the time, forever, as the dust rises from an eternal and ever-raging global sandstorm, created by our insatiable demand for everything, right NOW. So please don’t f*ck the planet up, or there’ll be no more discos, and no more sex.”

WHY?

In 2012, 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories in all seven continents participated in Earth Hour. Now it’s your turn.

HOW?

Tonight is the night - so lights off at 8:30pm local time. Happy Earth Hour!

We’re selling 23 limited editions of this poster printed on FSC paper with sustainable ink for £23 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

When It’s Broken by Domenic Lippa 22/23 Encouraging people...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:15:11 +0000

When It’s Broken by Domenic Lippa 22/23

Encouraging people to fix things instead of throwing them away was the aim of Pentagram designer Dom Lippa with his poster.

“Solving things that are broken seems to be at the centre of what we as a society need to do. Most of the environmental issues that we are facing are due to our own doing so we need to fix them. It’s basic problem-solving which we as designers have to do every day and we need to apply this attitude to some of the world’s bigger problems.”

“The execution was borne out of the problem. You take the words ‘Fix it’, show them as broken but we all know what the solution would be without literally showing how to solve it. This is a collective problem which we all need to solve. We all know what to do so we should do it.”

WHY?

In just over a week, the UK produces enough rubbish to fill Wembley stadium. Over half can be recycled.

HOW?

Got a broken thing that you want to make into an unbroken thing? Then Sugru is just the ticket.

Hot by Dean Chalkley 21/23 Photographer Dean Chalkley’s aim was...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:19:00 +0000

Hot by Dean Chalkley 21/23

Photographer Dean Chalkley’s aim was to get people turning off the heating and pulling on a jumper instead.

“I find it so strange when people turn up the heating rather putting another a layer like a jumper. Jumpers are better than heating - they can make you really nice and hot. I’ve got one on now actually and I’m really toasty.”

“To make the point in a fun and impactful way, I wanted to make a jumper that was extraordinary so we found Korina Kyriakou, a jumper maker extraordinaire, and she designed and knitted something a little crazy for the shoot.”

“The guy wearing the jumper is Gideon, and he’s not only temperature hot, he looks hot too. I think Gideon will get lots of fan mail and his temperature will rise even more. He may even have to take a few layers off.”

“We did the shoot with no artificial light by the way, just reflecting light from the windows. We did the green thing!”

See for yourself in this lovely behind the scenes video.

WHY?

A light long-sleeved sweater is generally worth about 2 degrees F in added warmth, while a heavy sweater adds about 4 degrees F.

HOW?

Don’t know how to layer? Here’s a guide.

To The End by Guillaume Cornet 20/23 Illustrator Mr. Guil wanted...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:55:00 +0000

To The End by Guillaume Cornet 20/23

Illustrator Mr. Guil wanted to create a poster that inspired people to use things up to the very end - and so, logically, he did so by using a pencil right to the end.

“I have always wondered why people don’t use pencils to the very end. This piece, made with one pencil, is influenced by the visual image of pencils revolving around my creatures combined with abstract forms and structures.”

“I find it interesting to observe how the pencils diminishing size can affect the line and shapes of a drawing. Imposing alterations to the hand movement. Therefore contributing to the creative process of the pencil men eating pencils; men on pencil skies, with pencil nose and pencil tattoos.”

WHY?

Over 1.5 billion Bic pens are thrown out by Americans every year - and it’s a fair bet that most of the them still have a lot of writing left in them.

HOW?

Watch this video and let Mr. Guil inspire you with his all-consuming creativity.

Tune In by Andy Ward 19/23 Illustrator Andy Ward wanted to...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Tune In by Andy Ward 19/23

Illustrator Andy Ward wanted to encourage us to live a life less electrical and more connected.

“Disconnecting from habitual technology use, turning the power off and reawakening the senses. Beyond the immediate benefits of turning off the current and using less electricity I wanted to show that in turning off our technology we can also reconnect with the world around us in a more natural way. Reconnect with nature, marvel at its beauty and work long term hand in hand to make changes.”

“I’ve illustrated a little urbanite going through his moment of awakening. A bird acts as messenger and delivers the green message. Do the Green thing - turn off, tune in. Music to his ears.”

WHY?

The average person uses 5,700 watts of energy per day on electronics.

HOW?

Be inspired by Plug Out Boy and start switching off those energy-sucking machines.

From Waste to Wonderful by Mel Duarte 18/23 In a small Brazilian...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:51:22 +0000

From Waste to Wonderful by Mel Duarte 18/23

In a small Brazilian village, artist and photographer Mel Duarte came across this great example of turning an old thing into a new thing.

“I really like the idea of creative recycling, and hope to inspire people with the potential it offers. With this in mind, I took the chance when I was in a little town in Bahia, Brazil, called Serra Grande, to wander through the village looking for something that could express this idea. That’s how I came across the recycled toilet bowl - it’s such a lovely example of how waste can be turned into something funny and beautiful.”

WHY?

The average household in the UK produces more than a tonne of waste every year.

HOW?

Check out here for brilliant, creative and daily upcycling ideas.

Share by Patrick Cox 17/23 Designer Patrick Cox wanted to reduce...

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:30:10 +0000

Share by Patrick Cox 17/23

Designer Patrick Cox wanted to reduce the amount of new stuff we buy by getting people to give away their old stuff. So he designed a poster to help people share the things they don’t need anymore.

“Do The Green Thing is about encouraging action so I wanted to make a poster that would help you to do something… give away the stuff you don’t need anymore.

“We all have great books, music, clothes even furniture that we’ve used and loved but just don’t need in our lives anymore. Rather than let them sit around, unused and unloved, we should give them to someone who will do something with them.”

“It would be lovely if people would cut out these labels and use them to share their unwanted stuff — at the office, at the bus-stop, or even outside their front door. I have been leaving stuff on the street for years and it is always gone by morning…”

WHY?

Life’s better when you share - according to a survey by the co-op, 80% of us feel happier when we share with others.

HOW?

Download Patrick’s labels on an A4 printer and share the old thing love.

We’re selling 23 limited editions of this poster printed on A3 FSC paper with sustainable ink for £23 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.

The Same As Oil by Andrew Rae 16/23 Artist and illustrator...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 08:44:01 +0000

The Same As Oil by Andrew Rae 16/23

Artist and illustrator Andrew Rae wanted to convince people to choose tap water by highlighting the sheer madness that is mineral water.

“It bugs the hell out of me how many mineral water bottles are clogging up the oceans and being transported around the world when water is readily available from any tap. Stupid!”

WHY?

More than 25% of bottled water comes from a municipal water supply - the same place tap water comes from.

HOW?

If you like your water heavily branded, then don’t worry – these great labels will make a humble bottle of tap water look as good as any expensive bottle of mineral water.

Learn Instead by Harry Pearce 15/23 Pentagram’s Harry...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Learn Instead by Harry Pearce 15/23

Pentagram’s Harry Pearce was struck by how many of us seem to have forgotten how to use our feet.

“I wanted to do a poster about walking because walking is the most natural human thing to do. It’s what we’re built for, and what we’re built to do more of.”

“The poster is about subverting a common symbol to a new purpose. Taking a symbol that’s about learning to drive, and recycling it to inspire someone to walk more. Learning to drive is learning to do the wrong thing for the planet, and learning to walk is learning to do the right thing.”

WHY?

Walking significantly improves our health - building stamina, burning excess calories and helping to keep a healthy heart. Most people walk between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day, but by increasing this to 10,000 you can burn up to 440 calories, reduce emissions and see a lot of lovely things along the way.

HOW?

If you need some inspiration to ditch the car and get walking in the city then watch this brilliant little film, Urban Rambler. Then, sign up to your local ramblers club.

Question Mark by Sophie Thomas 14/23 For her poster, Sophie...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:15:00 +0000

Question Mark by Sophie Thomas 14/23

For her poster, Sophie Thomas, Co-Director of Design at the RSA, recycled plastic waste to encourage others to do likewise.

“These attractive little pieces of plastic flotsam are testimony to our love of the disposable and attachment to plastic as a wonder material. But they are also an environmental reflux of something we have thrown away and not given any further thought to.”

“All these pieces were part of the estimated 10% of our plastic waste that ends up in the sea; washed in from landfill sites. Plastic should not be in landfill. Use your consumer power to push for change. If you can recycle it do, and if you can’t take it back to the shop and ask why they are selling you something that has to be put in the rubbish. This flotsam is testimony that there is no away.”

WHY?

The UK produces 31 million tonnes of waste a year, the same weight as three and a half million double-decker buses. And it’s getting worse - every year we produce about 3% more waste than the year before.

HOW?

For top tips on how to recycle everyday household items, go to Recycle This - but we warn you: you will get addicted.

C’mon Get Tappy by Emily Oberman 13/23 Pentagram’s Emily Oberman...

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

C’mon Get Tappy by Emily Oberman 13/23

Pentagram’s Emily Oberman and Alex Stikeleather wanted to convince people to stop drinking bottle water by making tap water fun again.

“The idea came up as a joke,” says Emily. “To me it is the personification of what’s great about drinking tap water. It harkens back and is cheery in the same way that musicals of the 30s and 40s were cheery during a depression or a war. And the call to action, C’mon Get Tappy, just summed how we were feeling and is in keeping with the musical style and feeling of the image (it is a reference to the Judy Garland song, the Partridge Family theme and even an Elvis Costello album).”

“As far as the style goes, this was basically the original sketch. We tried to make it more ‘realistic’ but it just didn’t work and got overwrought very quickly. I just love how silly and dumb this is - and that’s what makes it smart.’

WHY?

Bottled water releases over 1,000 times more CO2 per litre than tap water, costs over 1,000 times as much, and tastes EXACTLY THE SAME.

HOW?

If you want water on the go, buy a funky water bottle or a collapsible one and top it up before you leave the house

Don’t Do A Huhne by Huntley Muir Yesterday Chris Huhne was...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:27:00 +0000

Don’t Do A Huhne by Huntley Muir

Yesterday Chris Huhne was jailed after a chain of events stemming from one bad decision: to take the car rather than walk. Ironic, given that he used to be the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary. Artists Huntley Muir wanted to use him as an example of why it’s always better to ditch the car and go by foot instead.

Donna Muir said: “We were watching Chris Huhne on the news yesterday and were inspired to turn his story into a cautionary tale in red black and white to inspire others to avoid his fate.”

Su Huntley added: “There are many lessons to learn from the Chris Huhne fiasco. One of the most important is not to speed, and better still, not to drive. We’re walkers, and after this turn of events, we’re even more committed to walking.”

WHY:

Cars are one of the worst polluters out there, responsible for 4,160,000,000 metric tons of CO2 a year.

HOW:

Exercise your ears as well as your feet by downloading this special podcast of music composed and compiled at the ideal walking pace (105 beats per minute).

When You Walk by Tom Uglow 11/23 Tom Uglow, Creative Director at...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:00:00 +0000

When You Walk by Tom Uglow 11/23

Tom Uglow, Creative Director at Google, wanted to remind people that good things happen when you ditch the car and walk instead.

“Walking was a really easy choice. I walk. I love to walk. I feel for the people trapped on buses or sitting in cars. We are made to walk, it is so natural it defines natural. We’ve evolved to walk, not to sit, crouch or hunch. Even our minds work better when we walk, it is a pure meditative space, and when you walk you actually get somewhere. So I figure, skip yoga, forget the gym, just walk. Oh, and you save the planet too.”

HOW?

Reducing the amount of driving you do by just 10 miles a week will save about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year

WHY?

Walkit.com helps you plan your walking route, as well as containing enough stats about journey times, calories, step counts and carbon savings to please even the most demanding stat-fans.

Bark by Steven Qua 10/23 In the run-up to Earth Hour, designer...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 07:41:25 +0000

Bark by Steven Qua 10/23

In the run-up to Earth Hour, designer and director Steven Qua wants to encourage people to turn their lights off and let their minds wander.

“Lights have always annoyed me, street lights, car headlights, bedside lights, bath room lights, as they stop me from getting a good look at the moon.”

“When I was young I lived in a town with a lot of dogs, I used to lie in bed at night looking at the moon, listening to the barking. Now I’ve moved away I miss the barking in the dark. Every day I turn the lights off look at the moon and bark myself to sleep.”

WHY?

Turn the lights off every time you leave a room and save an average of 397 kg CO2 a year, as well as knocking 20% off your electricity bill.

HOW?

Get involved with Earth Hour on 23rd March and join millions of people around the world in turning off the lights.

Hot Dog by Hiromi Suzuki 9/23 Illustrator Hiromi Suzuki created...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:08:00 +0000

Hot Dog by Hiromi Suzuki 9/23

Illustrator Hiromi Suzuki created this beautiful infographic to show the damage producing meat does to the planet. “When we think about the causes of pollution, we tend to think about things like planes and cars and power stations. No-one ever thinks about meat, despite it being one of the biggest polluters out there. So we need to cut back, however delicious it is.”

WHY?

Producing just 1kg of beef, enough for a spag bol for you and 5 friends, creates a whopping 34.6kg of CO2, and uses a staggering 15,000 litres of water.

HOW?

Going meat-free doesn’t mean going taste-free. Go here, here or here for a great range of mouthwatering vegetarian recipes.

We’re selling 23 limited editions of this poster printed on FSC paper, A3 in size printed with sustainable ink for £23 plus VAT, postage and packing with all proceeds going back to the Do The Green Thing charity. You can buy this one here.