Last Thursday evening designers gathered for Compostmodern 2018 as part of the Global Action Climate Summit.

Brian Dougherty of Celery Design Studio, and Beth Rattner, Executive Director of the Biomimicry Institute were joined by moderator Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, Associate Professor of Design and Chair of the Department of Art + Architecture at the University of San Francisco, to consider systems, products and behaviors that intersect with positive environmental impact.

Below are our key takeaways from the evening

Diversify Your Design Practice

Green design is still in its infancy. Opportunities abound for a diverse design practice. Look to subjects and topics that attempt to modify systems, positively impact communities and facilitate behavior changes. Pursuing subjects like biology may reveal solutions in nature that could reduce the negative impacts of human activity.

Collaborate Vs. Compete

Find ways for industrial and manufacturing sectors to work together. Weave collaboration into brand and marketing strategies.

Reinvention for Change

Green design changes system dynamics. Consider the impact of the system that brought a product into existence. How was it produced? How was the community impacted by its development and production? What behavior changes were witnessed through the product’s existence? For example, what happens to a compostable cup when or if it’s tossed into the proper bin? The answers may lie in the systems that process the cup.