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sustainability

what is sustainability?

Sustainability is defined by the United Nations as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Nadia Soucek Design genuinely believes in the considering the environmental, social, economic impact and life-cycle of each and every project.

web & digital policies

It’s easy to think that going digital is automatically better for the environment. These are the policies I have in place to reduce our collective digital carbon footprint.

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green web hosting

Choosing a web host that is powered by renewable energy will significantly help your business reduce its carbon footprint.

I can help you navigate choosing a provider that’s right for your business.

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reduce images

Imagery for your website will be audited to ensure that each image used genuinely adds values and/or clearly communicates information to the user.

Images are often the single biggest contributor to page weight, so by reducing the amount of images means your website will be more energy efficient.

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reduce video

Videos are an increasingly popular medium to feature on websites, but adding video can be extremely data intensive for the server and for the user.

If video is necessary for your business, we’ll remove auto-play functions and keep them as short as possible.

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optimize media files

All images, videos, audio files, etc. will be compressed to further reduce file size without losing quality.

Smaller file sizes results in faster load times and reduced energy consumption, a real win-win!

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content audit

The content, or copy, on a website can impact the efficiency of a website because it affects the amount of time people spend browsing.

It’s important that users can easily find the information they’re looking for without wading through content that offers no value to them.

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use fonts wisely

Web and custom fonts can add a lot of character to a website but they also add a lot of weight. System fonts will be used where appropriate, and the variation in fonts will be used sparingly.

print policies

When possible, Nadia Soucek Design will choose the most sustainable printing options. These are the policies I have in place to reduce our collective carbon footprint.

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sustainable forestry practices

Verified forestry supply chains, such as the FSC or Ancient Forest Alliance, are used for all print projects.

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recycled paper

100% PCW recycled paper will be preferred, and if unavailable the highest percentage possible will be used for all print items.

Alternative papers (seed or sugar) are acceptable when appropriate.

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inks

Inks and coatings that have low or no VOC emissions will be used in order to minimize air pollution.

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coatings

Plastic and foil coatings will not be used for aesthetic purposes.

Laminate coatings will only be used when crucial for longevity of the printed item.

These coatings cannot be recycled and actively contribute to micro plastic pollution in the ocean and chemical leaching in our landfills.

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local printers

 Local printers are prioritized in order to support the local economy and reduce emissions.

If a client is remote, I will source printers in their area to reduce carbon footprint.

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life cycle

Item life-cycle is considered and designed for. Digital alternatives may be suggested where appropriate.