How to be an Eco-Friendly Creative

For Earth Day 2024, I wanted to eliminate my carbon footprint completely. Alas, my secret and unrealistic plans to move to an off-the-grid cabin in the middle of the woods and retire from my life of technology have failed miserably. Instead, I will share a few of my Earth Day-friendly favorites with you!

Dear Earth, Thank You. Seriously.

If anything deserves a little love and a special day, it’s the little blue ball we call Earth that keeps us grounded (literally). And since we’re staying here for a while, maybe we can all pitch in a little where we can! As creatives, our digital footprints can leave a mighty path. But through small steps and changes, we can help to offset these effects and start moving towards leaving a more sustainable mark on the planet.

Creators Gotta Create!

For our digital magicians, Adobe Fonts and Adobe’s Prioritize Our Planet Visual Trend through Adobe Stock offers a collection of fun free fonts for Adobe CC Subscribers that can be used in your Earth Day Campaigns. View the curated collection here.

If you’re looking for Earth Day assets for your content creation, head on over to Adobe Stock. No credits? No problem! Enter your keyword and search Free > Asset Type for a variety of free assets like images, vectors, and even 3D models of the planet Earth to use in Adobe Substance!

Paper Proofs & Printing

If you’re a print-focused designer, you’ve probably printed off your fair share of proofs. If you find yourself printing off proofs every day or just occasionally, a small step could be switching to recycled copy paper for a minimal but potentially impactful change—bonus points for recycling all those proofs once you’ve finished! Check your preferred brand as more and more companies like Staples and Hammermill are releasing sustainable copy paper options.

If you’re looking for a more refined paper offering for a final printed design, your options are growing through companies like Mohawk and GMUND. Mohawk’s Sustainable Collection is created with recycled or alternative fibers, while GMUND Colors Green is climate-neutral and Cradle 2 Cradle Certified.

Need a printer to print on your recycled paper? Running a small business and need high-quality prints or photos? Personally, I’ve had my eyes on the Epson Tankless printers since a mate in the UK made the purchase. The print quality looks beautiful. And the EcoTank eliminates all those cartridges that quickly pile up when self-printing. Fewer cartridges, less plastic piling up!

Basic Eco-Office Supplies

Tape. It’s one of those things most of us have somewhere in our home or offices and you might be surprised to learn even the Scotch Brand has a greener side with their Scotch MagicTM Greener Tape Dispensered Rolls, made from over 65% recycled or plant-based material. Or if you’re running low on packaging tape, consider ordering custom packaging tape from StickerMule which is both eco-friendly and recyclable.

Post-it notes are far from the most sustainable method of keeping organized, if we’re being honest, but if they help keep you organized in this chaos-driven world, keep using them! But instead of going with the standard Post-it order next time, consider switching to the Post-it Greener Notes! They still have fun colors but are made with 100% recycled paper.

Staples are another small thing but remember, small steps can lead to big things. If your stapling needs are often only a few pages long, consider kicking staples to the curb with this staple-less stapler that would be perfect on your desk!

Even in the digital world, the power of the #2 pencil still holds its weight. And this might be my favorite gift idea – #2 pencils that grow into plants when you’re done, in one gift!! Creatives and plant lovers rejoice! Get yours on Amazon or directly from the creative masterminds at Sprout World.

Dude, Where’s My Eco-Friendly Phone Case?

It’s essential these days to “stay connected.” Unless you are living out my dream of living in a cabin on a mountain shut off from everything, you most likely have a cell phone. Investing in an eco-friendly phone case is one small way to help eliminate long-term plastic memoirs of civilization.

Gravity has always taught me that I must have a case on my phone if I want to own a functioning phone, and UAG offers some rugged cases, including their Biodegradable Outback series. (My phone is grateful after the umpteenth time it flew downwards on its own accord). Pela is another company with fun compostable cases and an earth-friendly mission worth checking out.

Additional Online Resources

What else can you do to learn more about incorporating eco-friendly choices into your creative world? A Plastic Planet, Dezeen and even the U.S. General Services Administration have Sustainable Design resources available to inspire and protect our environment.

The TED – Sustainability by Design collection is full of inspiring talks to help think outside the box to make a positive impact, like packaging made out of mushrooms and creating homes from reclaimed items.

If a traditional book is more your style, look into Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Print Design by Wendy Jedlicka

Becoming more earth-friendly doesn’t necessarily require significant changes, although it would be nice if we all could! Life is busy, and small steps towards switching products you’re already consuming to earth-friendly processes are a step in the right direction. And isn’t that always half the battle? The first step?

Spend some time outdoors when you can and as often as you can. Fresh air and nature can be inspiring and healing, and the more time we spend appreciating it, the more we’re willing to fight and take the steps needed to protect this beautiful little blue ball we call home.

earth is home sweet home