As I sat and listened to various speakers at the RGD Ontario’s Professional Development Day, I was inspired. From sustainability to open type, there was something for everyone.

I learned that being green is a commitment, not just a trend; that seeing your design in the real world can be invigorating; that open type fonts are something to savour; that the printing industry is “movin’ on up” and that graphic design will always be a passion for someone.

Alexander Isley owns his own firm in Connecticut where being green is what he does best. His firm is constantly going out of their way to find new and innovative ways to be environmentally friendly. He spoke about how each of us can do more to make our designs sustainable just by researching various and creative ways to do so. One project his company took on required everything from banners to seed packets. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture is an 80-acre compound that encompasses a working farm and educational facilities focusing on sustainable agriculture. This inspired them to create each element with sustainability in mind right down to the note cards that contained carrot seeds right in the paper so that you could plant them afterwards. Good job!!

RGD Ontario is an organization that has everything from Graphic Design resources and the latest industry news to the Designthinkers 2006 Conference in Toronto coming this fall.

Even if you’re not a designer, there is plenty of interesting information on graphic design and what it’s all about. Enjoy!