Design is the Problem by Nathan Shedroff's. Photo courtesy Core77.com

Nathan Sherdoff‘s new book “Design is the Problem”(now available from Rosenfeld Media) is being heralded as a must read for all types of designers, business persons and, well, everyone. Interesting subtext “The future of design must be sustainable” heralds not from a hippie at heart, but from a logical, sensible approach to design.

Sustainability is more than a trend, it’s a movement that all developers need to better understand. Sustainability is about more than just the environment and encompasses social and financial issues as well. In fact, sustainable solutions are still more easily “sold” in terms of advancements in efficiency, health, and social justice than on the basis of environmental benefits—and that’s OK. This “new” movement, now almost 40 years old, has evolved quickly and there are many contemporary examples to learn from. With a short introduction to the issues and frameworks and a concentration on sustainable strategies, all designers, engineers, and managers can make more sustainable design decisions. 

I hereby challenge all designers of all kinds (fashion, industrial, floral, interior, software… etc.) to put forth ideas and executions with sustainable practices. Punishment or failure will be to write out the entire book in foolscap legal size paper. By hand.