Cause and Effect: Visualizing Sustainability

"The communications industry is the only agency possessing the capacity to convey the knowledge necessary for sustainable development to the required extent and in the timeframe we have at our disposal."
Lester Brown, Worldwatch Institute

Against this background, Cause and Effect is the first book to focus on how communication measures can change our behavior and make us more environmentally friendly. It reveals a new visual language for sustainability.

Sustainability is not an option, but a necessity. As such, designers and those who hire them are increasingly being called upon to deal with this pressing topic. Companies, institutions, NGOs, and politicians want to position themselves as innovative and environmentally friendly. Whether or not brands or products can be considered sustainable will be more and more decisive to their success on the market. A wide range of target audiences need to be sensitized to and convinced of the value of a more conscious lifestyle. Because the traditional look of environmentalism is out of date and no longer so effective, a new visual language must be found for this topic.

Cause and Effect is a collection of work from around the world that reveals a credible and understandable contemporary visual language for communicating ecology. Its spectrum ranges from campaigns, posters, brochures, and digital media to interventions and guerilla marketing. It utilizes graphic design, information graphics, and illustrations as well as photography to get its message across.

The examples in Cause and Effect inspire us and challenge us. They clearly describe far-reaching correlations and complex technical processes. They explain and motivate. Together they serve as an unparalleled presentation of the most significant, intelligent, and entertaining communication measures and proposed solutions for sustainability today.

Co-editor Stephan Bohle is founder and director of futurestrategy, a think tank focusing on strategies and marketing for sustainability. In addition, Bohle is a member of the advisory board of Germany's national environmental foundation, the Deutsche Umweltstiftung, as well as a consultant and lecturer on the topics of sustainability management, design, and marketing.