Join the first Designers Accord Town Hall Meeting in Seattle, Washington! The meeting will take place on September 23rd at the School of Visual Concepts hosted by the AIGA Seattle chapter and co-sponsored by IDSA Seattle and AIA Seattle.

The Designers Accord is a global coalition of designers, educators, and business leaders working together to create positive environmental and social impact. This town hall meeting is your chance to join fellow Seattle designers who care deeply about these issues, and share in the discussion of how we can make designing in sustainable ways a reality in our region.

6:00 to 6:30 pm: Socialize and network; light food and beverages.
6:30 to 7:30: Update about the Designers Accord movement; speakers.
7:30 to 8:30: Breakout discussions; each speaker will lead a roundtable that relates the presentations to local issues.
8:30 to 9:00: Regroup and share our discussion results.

Topics of discussion: Mapping the design process towards sustainability We'll take a look at all of the stakeholders and resources involved in the design process and map out areas of opportunity: What can we rethink? What can we redesign?

The role of design in sustainability First, let's talk about design and design thinking from all viewpoints: Where does design fit into a business's plans, and what kind of impact can it make? Then let's make the case for the strategic and economic advantage a business can gain through sustainability.

Collaboration We have a long way to go to put humanity on the road to sustainability. Collaboration will be necessary to get there. By studying particular case studies, we will get insight into how we might accomplish this.

Speakers Marty McDonald is a thought leader in the field of brand development and sustainability. He is the founder and Creative Director of egg, a 6-year-old Seattle firm specializing in brand development and communications for sustainable brands. Marty has 20 years of national advertising agency experience, with numerous Cannes Lions, Effies, and Clios under his belt for clients ranging from industry leaders like Stonyfield Farm, Coca Cola, and Southwest Airlines, to next-generation renewable energy start-ups like Southwest Windpower.

Zac West runs the design firm IDeology. In addition to hard and soft design, brand identity, and sustainability operational strategies, Zac's areas of expertise include industrial design, strategic product merchandising, and resource-responsible manufacturing. He has worked on hundreds of projects for more than 65 organizations and his clients include Patagonia, The North Face, K2 Sports, YKK, and T-Mobile. The winner of five major awards in the outdoor product industry (including Outside's Gear of the Year and Backpacker's Best Value) as well as other regional and national awards, he's contributed to seven patents. Zac is known for his success in directing projects and teams, passion for efficiency, immense creativity, and holistic system thinking.