Teaching our clients and our community about the value of design is a big part of what we do. Through this effort, we can empower businesses, organizations and citizens of society with the knowledge required to take action that will make the economy stronger and the world better.
We do this by providing resources to our clients and our viewers concerning the value of socially conscious design and business. Readers can browse our library of web links for additional resources or organizations that are leading the way on several socially conscious issues and topics.
Recycling and Reuse
National Recycling Coalition (NRC)
www.nrc-recycle.org
The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) is a national non-profit advocacy group with members that span all aspects of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling in North America.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
www.epa.gov
The Central Virginia Waste Management Authority
www.cvwma.com
The Central Virginia Waste Management Authority (CVWMA) is a public service authority that implements solid waste management and recycling programs for thirteen local governments.
ReDO
www.redo.org
ReDO is a national and international tax exempt, 501(c) (3) non-profit organization promoting reuse on every level. ReDO was created to fill an informational void identified at a February 1995 conference on reuse, where participants voiced a desire to avoid "reinventing the wheel" and share what they had learned.
Reuse Alliance
www.reusealliance.org
Reuse Alliance works to increase public awareness of reuse by promoting the social, environmental and economic benefits of reuse, and encouraging people to join the movement toward creating a cleaner environment and a greener economy.
Sustainable Organic Food Systems
Center for Rural Culture
www.centerforruralculture.org
The Center for Rural Culture's mission is to sustain the rural culture of Goochland and Virginia's Piedmont by educating, promoting, and inspiring ourselves and others.
Organic Store Locator
www.organicstorelocator.com
An easy way to find Organic Stores and Organic Food Stores in your area.
Whole Foods Market
www.wholefoodsmarket.com
The world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 270 stores in North America and the United Kingdom.
Ellwood Thompson's Local Market
www.ellwoodthompsons.com
Richmond Virginia local organic and natural foods market.
National Association of Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs
www.nafmnp.org
The National Association of Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs is a non-profit corporation founded in 1992. It is the nation’s only organization that links States, the District of Columbia, Indian Tribal Organizations, Territories and others with a stake in USDA’s Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs (including local fruit and vegetable growers and low-income families and seniors) with a shared mission.
Green Building
United States Green Building Council
www.usgbc.org
The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.
James River Green Building Council
www.jrgbc.org
JRGBC is the Central Virginia chapter of the The U.S. Green Building Council.
EcoLogic
www.ecologicthestore.com
Richmond, Virginia's Environmentally Responsible Remodeling Store.
Ecolect
www.ecolect.net
Ecolect's mission is to help designers, architects and builders discover eco-material alternatives.
Responsible Consumerism
I Buy Different
www.ibuydifferent.org
Resource to teach kids about where products come from.
Consumers International
www.consumersinternational.org
Consumers International is an independent, non-profit organization that supports, links, and represents consumer groups and agencies all over the world. It strives to promote a fairer society through defending the rights of all consumers, especially the poor, marginalized and disadvantaged, by supporting and strengthening member organizations and the consumer movement in general, and, campaigning at the international level for policies that respect consumer concerns.
Consumers Union
www.consumersunion.org
Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine. This site provides informative and educational materials developed by Consumers Union's advocacy offices on a variety of consumer issues, including health care, financial services, food safety, product safety, and more,including special reports on consumerism, especially marketing aimed at kids.
Responsible Shopper
www.responsibleshopper.org
Responsible Shopper reports on global research and campaign information regarding the impact of major corporations on human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability and more.
Co-op America
www.responsibleshopper.org
This 20-year-old nonprofit promotes socially and environmentally responsible businesses, publishes the national green pages, www. greenpages.org and promotes socially responsible investing through www.socialinvest.org (SVN member).
Fair Trade
Equal Exchange
www.equalexchange.com
An award winning fair trade coffee company dedicated to trading with small scale coffee farmers in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Fairtrade Federation
www.fairtradefederation.org
The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. The Federation is part of the global fair trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty.
GlobalExchange
www.globalexchange.org
This fair trade and human rights organization promotes the use of coffees for which growers have been paid a fair price, emphasizing village cooperatives and small farmers.
Self-Reliance and Independent Business Organizations
B Corporation
www.bcorporation.net
B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
BALLE
www.livingeconomies.org
BALLE is currently an alliance of over 20 independently operated local business networks located throughout North America.
The National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives
www.ncesa.org
NCESA is an independent, politically progressive, nonprofit institute providing research, education, and consultation on innovative solutions to problems facing America and the global political-economy. Since its establishment in 1977, the National Center has undertaken research and policy development projects for foundations, federal agencies, state governments and nongovernmental organizations.
Sustainable Communities Network
www.sustainable.org
Helping to build sustainable, livable economies and communities.
Ashoka
www.ashoka.org
Ashoka seeks to develop the profession of social entrepreneurship around the world. It invests in extraordinary individuals with unprecedented ideas for change in theri communities. Visit the web site to read about many of the 1,100 Ashoka Fellows from 41 countries.
Association for Enterprise
www.microenterpriseworks.org
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity has launched an initiative entitled Buy ME (Micro Enterprise) that is linking microentrepreneurs and microenterprise development programs to a national marketing campaign as well as strengthening local marketing efforts. A microenterprise is a self-started, very small business that is embedded in the community.
New Rules
www.newrules.org
New Rules is information on policies local communities have implemented to regain economic power.
AMIBA
www.amiba.net
AMIBA is a coalition of local independent businesses, community organizations and community members--your friends and neighbors--united to support the community.
Social Entrepreneurship Alliance
www.se-alliance.org
A membership organization leading the creation of a social enterprise movement. We mobilize communities of nonprofit organizations and funders to advance earned income strategies.
Design, Branding, Visual Communication
Anti-Advertising Agency
antiadvertisingagency.com
The Anti-Advertising Agency co-opts the tools and structures used by the advertising and public relations industries. Our work calls into question the purpose and effects of advertising in public space.
Creative For A Cause
www.creativeforacause.org
Our mission is to train those who will grow up to be the adults of tomorrow, those who will live in the world we will leave behind as a legacy, a world they will have to keep shaping and constructing on and on. Their success will also be ours.
Design Can Change
www.designcanchange.org
Design Can Change is an effort to bring together the world's graphic design community to address the issues surrounding climate change.
Icograda
www.icograda.org
The International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda) is the world body for professional communication design.
Osocio, Social Advertising and Non-profit Campaigns
http://osocio.org
Osocia showcases social advertising and non-profit campaigns from around the globe.
Re-nourish
www.re-nourish.com
Re-nourish is dedicated to helping the graphic design community grow into a more sustainable industry.
On Social Design.
www.socialdesignblog.org
This blog is a collection of notes on society, activism, politics and design for print, video, the web, transportation and the built environment.
Project H Design
http://projecthdesign.org
Project H Design connects the power of design to the people who need it most, and the places where it can make a real and lasting difference.
The AIGA Center for Sustainable Design
http://sustainability.aiga.org
The AIGA Center for Sustainable Design is dedicated to providing designers with practical information, including case studies, news articles, discourse and resources, relevant to sustainable business practice. It examines sustainability from a wide range of perspectives: from the nuts and bolts of daily studio life to the larger marketplace dynamics and global concerns within which designers operate.
