Challenges to Sustainability in the Graphic Design Practices of a Developing Nation

Abstract

In this paper, we examine graphic design practices to highlight challenges to sustain- ability, how they manifest, and their associated out- comes in Ghana. It was discovered that the key challenges to sustainable practices were a lack of sustainability education, sustainability practice guide- lines, and the improper disposal of waste chemicals. Other significant problems were air pollution, a lack of eco-papers and inks, poor gate-keeping of design content, and weak collaboration among designers. In addition, poor printing and weak design caused eco- nomic deficits, while some products designed for use were harmful to society. To minimize these chal- lenges, we propose sustainability education for graphic designers, their production team, and clients. We further recommend that graphic designers should observe professional ethics in their graphic design practices to promote sustainability