Sustainability

Color and Sustainability: The Environmental Dimension of Color Decisions in Print and Digital

Color choices have measurable environmental consequences — consequences that most designers have never been asked to consider. In print, ink coverage directly determines solvent load, drying energy, and VOC emissions. In digital, saturated dark colors increase OLED screen energy consumption by up to 40% compared to light interfaces on the same device. This issue covers the evidence base for sustainable color design decisions and provides practical substitutions that preserve aesthetic intent while reducing environmental footprint.