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With climate change becoming a concern by ? individuals, corporations, and businesses ? it has become important for people to identify with the effect and the risk facing many cities that have not yet been addressed.

The major contributor and heavily vulnerable areas to climate change are our cities and towns, although they cover less than 2 per cent of the earth?s surface.

It?s recorded cities consume to 78 per cent of the world?s energy and produce more than 60% of all carbon dioxide and significant amounts of other greenhouse gas emissions, mainly through energy generation, vehicles, industry, and biomass use.

According to Gensler investments in the sustainability of the built environment could contribute significantly to reducing the demand for energy that drives much of climate change.

That means by keeping the issue at the forefront, designers and other related professions need to intend to raise awareness of the social and environmental impact that design could have on individuals and translate to the environment.

So, Green Graphic Design would be expressed by the way designers think about the work they create, within the cost constraints and corporate identity.

Simply put, eco-innovative changes are demonstrated in all phases of the design process, including ? selecting projects, strategizing with clients, building strong green brands, choosing materials for manufacture, working with clients to translate transparency and corporate social responsibility.

Ready?

Let?s take a look at 6 Brands that are positively affecting our planet and finding huge commercial success in the process.

 

1. NAKUMATT

Via NAKUMATT

Think Green, Go Blue campaign has been one of the effective projects in driving green design.

Nakumatt launched the project to engaged their customers to refrain from using plastic bags in its stores and instead opt for reusable bags.

The campaign had mixed reaction on the initial stage, but this green project has encouraged their customers to become responsible towards the environment in ensuring environmental sustainability.

Additionally, The Nakumatt?s branches stirred the consumer behavioural change campaign by a concurrent campaign on Twitter (#GreenWednesday). This green design move marked with customers being encouraged to use reusable bags in packing their shopping.

With a user-centred?approach to design Nakumatt leading retailer in Kenya took on a sustainable approach to create an environmental conservation culture.

This corporate philosophy of Nakumatt appears in all of their branding and design.

By featuring photos of the reusable bags in packing they support prominently in their marketing materials, they?re able to build a stronger emotional connection to their mission.

 

2. Safaricom

Via Safaricom

Safaricom as a corporation has taken social-economic responsibility in managing environmental impact which is not only embodied in their core business but also an integral part of their overall business sustainability and success.

In response to the SDG strategy, Safaricom aligned their efforts to promote the use of affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption of resources (SDG 12) and development of climate change-related policies to guide the efforts towards achieving our ?net zero? carbon-emitting aspiration (SDG 13).

As a company, it has remained committed in their operations towards an environmentally friendly and sustainable development.

One of the key ways in which Safaricom has monitored and manage environmental impact is through energy consumption. M-KOPA Solar project through a GSM-controlled lighting solution has provided quality lighting solution to thousands of people.

The go green project has allowed the company to reduce carbon emission as well and improve its customer experience.

 

3. Kenya Airways (KQ)

Via Kenya Airways

KQ in its vision being the Pride of Africa, by inspiring our people and delighting our guests consistently together with contributing to the sustainable development of Africa, they have a go green project in mind.

The KQ project which is being run by Wildlife Works is working to look into prevention of CO2 emissions and protect the forests.

In promoting community sustainable development activities, the REDD project also intended to prevent the loss of spectacular biodiversity and protect the area as a wildlife corridor for important indigenous species.

The Kasigau Corridor Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) project strategy was to protects acres of forest and in return brings the benefits of direct carbon financing to Kenyan communities while also securing the entire wildlife migration between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks.

In addition, the project aims at expanding the influence of Wildlife Works into the surrounding dry-land forests within the Kasigau Corridor that are under similar threat to Rukinga.

The company approach is to ensure long-term community support in terms of conservation of the forests and wildlife through developing alternatives to slash, for instance, community-based nurseries for the provision of agricultural.

Other project activities at hand include an organic clothing factory, an organic greenhouse, improve dry-land farming skills, school construction and bursary scheme and ecotourism.

 

4.?Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen)

Via KenGen

KenGen’s strides in generating clean energy have been internationally recognized and have outbid fellow contenders in the same category.

Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) was recently awarded by The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with 2016 Presidential for its flagship green energy project, Olkaria I Units 4 and 5.

The award which is granted to individuals or organization associated with the agency and whose contribution in the field of development is recognized to be of great significance in the development of developing countries’ society and economy.

Additionally, the plant has moved the country up the geothermal ladder globally.

KenGen’s geothermal capacity has increased four-fold to the current level of 470MW, while Kenya is now the world?s eighth largest supplier of geothermal energy, with 585MW of installed capacity (this represents five per cent of the total global geothermal production), greening the national electricity generation mix.

 

5. Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA)

Via Kenya Tea Development Authority

Since its incorporation, Kenya Tea Development Authority(KTDA) has focused on the growing of tea by the small-scale sub-sector in Kenya while carving for its niche in the global tea market.

KTDA in the recent year commissioned projects in going green that was in line with KTDA’s long-term strategy to ensure that tea growing regions have access to alternative renewable forms of energy. This was aimed at reducing operational costs in the factories and create a new income stream for tea farmers.

This means the projects are all set to provide an alternative cheaper source of energy for KTDA-managed tea factories in the country.

This is has been crucial in the development of the largest private tea management agencies as the tea-manufacturing process requires a lot of electricity and produces high emissions.

The production and maintenance of the power stations are also expected to generate employment opportunities as it provides cleaner energy.

 

6. TOTAL Kenya

Via Total Kenya

With over 10 years of operation, TOTAL Eco-challenge program has managed to inspire and help Kenyans to plant trees according to their?aim?of planting 100 million trees per year.

Since its inception, the eco-challenge has managed to oversee more than 1,600 projects that have seen the planting of trees.

TOTAL Eco-challenge with the aim to engage people and organizations to preserve and sustain the environment has created a platform that helped in dissemination of information and mobilizes physical resources, as well as coordination of corporate sponsorship resources with low-budget urban and rural projects.

TOTAL Eco-challenge has run extensive education campaigns on the best species to plant in different areas and for different purposes, and how to prepare the ground, plant and nurture seedlings for the most successful results.

This has been possible through the partnership with various stakeholders, community-based organizations, corporates, schools as well as individuals.

TOTAL Eco-challenge has helped coordinate production and distribution of seedlings countrywide, and the momentum has spawned thousands of independent tree nursery businesses.

To drive its national green project, individuals are able to join the noble initiative and help save the environment as you create wealth by planting trees.

 

How are you going green?

Whether you?re already a green expert or you?re just dipping your toe in the eco-marketing, there are lessons to be learned from these six brands.

Having the environment and doing good for humanity go hand in hand and is crucial in finding a cause that you?re passionate about and make it the driving force behind your brand.

So, if you?re already an established company, no worries!

You can still identify a cause that strongly integrates your brand value and foster green design into your DNA.

Here is how you could leverage community-based initiatives. In bringing clean water to communities in need, do a ?corporate takeover? for one month out of the year.

Also, redesign your website and marketing materials to focus on green design such as reusable bag initiative and donate a part of your sales for that month to your cause are a great way to campaign for eco-friendly individuals.

Here is the bonus; when your customers see the good you?re doing in the world, it will build an emotional connection. They?ll want to be a part of what you?re doing, and as a byproduct, sales will soar.

 

How is your business going green? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Paul Simiyu

Founder and Team Lead of Simpaul Design, a brand strategy and design agency in Nairobi, Kenya. Here at Simpaul Design, we work with brands across various categories with a focus on connecting with consumers and building brands that people want to be a part of. We specialize in brand identity and strategy, UX/UI, and brand transformation.

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