Top: Impact Through Design

When most people think Graphic design, they think: Pretty posters and flyers. However, Graphic Design is more than pretty fonts and gradients. Used correctly, graphic design is a great weapon for social change. Last year, I was fortunate enough to take a class called “Visualizing Urban Policy”, I worked on projects rebranding an Immigration work center, and designing payphone proposals for the city of New York.  I learned how rewarding it could be to make things that impact the community in a positive way. These next examples will show how good design can use its power for a greater good.

1. James Victore: Use a Condom
   
   Graphic Designer James Victore designed these posters in 1997 to illustrate the two reasons to use a condom: To prevent disease and to prevent pregnancy.
2. Pentagram: LOOK!
   
   because sometimes we need to be reminded to look both ways!
3. Lapka
   
   A smart device meant to monitor the your surroundings, making it easier to make medicine for people based on their environment.
   Read more about the project here 
4. Biolite Home stove
   
   This genius stove uses twigs you find along in your journey to help cook and provide electricity. This devices is good for camping but more importantly it reduces toxic gases by 90%. This means less death in third world countries where they use open flame to cook in their homes.
   View More here
5. Urban Investigations
   
   A youth group set to help high school students educate themselves about urban problems such as: How the city works.
   Visit the site here