Until recently, proponents of the green movement were often perceived as radical tree-huggers, their efforts continually shoved aside to make room for initiatives believed more pressing. But in recent years, as more and more facts have been brought to light, we have come to understand that these “radical tree-huggers" were, in fact, early adopters. Sustainability has become a priority – for earth mothers and CEOs alike.

Yes, “green” is a trend – but it’s about time. As companies become increasingly aware of this environmental responsibility, we in creative consulting find ourselves uniquely positioned to make a difference. Our clients are listening. We have a process in place for meeting broad business challenges: research, ideation, action. Breakthroughs never come out of thin air; they arise from focused study, intensive collaboration, and resolve. And with a problem of this size, our team of collaborators needs to extend beyond project groups and studios into the entire industry – and into the world at large. We need to promote, and participate in, the discussions that drive change. This issue of frog Design Mind is one piece of that discussion.

In the meantime, we must work to effect this change in smaller steps, iterative changes. We can help our clients generate longer-lasting products, less wasteful packaging, and more efficient programs for environmental responsibility. And we can make these changes in our own workplaces, as well.

In a company filled with passionate, opinionated people, it is very difficult to force top-down initiatives, no matter how important they may be. So it comes as no surprise that the green effort at frog has been driven by the employees themselves. The past year has seen a surge of activity here, a grassroots effort to internally practice sustainability and externally help our clients understand how they can be greener in their products and services.

In every studio, “green ambassadors” recommend ways we can alter our practices to protect the environment. I get at least two suggestions passed to me each week, coming from every office, a testament to the power of cross-cultural discourse in supporting a common goal. What’s exciting about watching this discourse at frog is that the ideas are never left at work. The line between how we act in the studio and how we live at home often blurs as they become one and the same – and for acolytes of the green movement, that’s a great thing to see.

As the green initiative evolved within frog, one of our employees, Ashley Menger, came up with an experiment to monitor and reduce her own trash production. For two weeks, she tried to produce as little waste as possible in her day-to-day life – and her success was easily monitored, as she carried with her anything that could not be recycled or composted. When her two weeks were up, she passed the project on to another frog employee, in another studio; there is now a waiting list of employees who want to participate. You can follow the experiment on our Trash Talk blog. The stories are entertaining, frightening, and enlightening. You can’t help but be moved by their determination. Out of frustration with the status quo and a willingness to effect change, they have contacted major corporations and discussed ways to minimize or recycle product packaging. Those who have participated and those of us reading are now much more aware of our own unnecessary trash production.

Their project is not a standalone effort; it has spurred other initiatives within the company that you will be seeing in the coming months. We know we have a lot more to do, and we must work together, both inside and outside of frog, to address these impending global challenges. We win only when we all participate and learn from one another. There can be no sprint to the finish line: we must be in this for the long run. I know that the idea of changing how we live our lives, how we make our choices, how we run our businesses can be profoundly challenging. But together, with small steps and broad ideas, it’s possible.

This is the beginning of the story, one that doesn’t yet have an end in sight. My goal is that we should each inspire the next person to take action, as we have been inspired to do so ourselves. I hope you enjoy this issue, and I look forward to updating you on our progress.