Week 10!

I can't believe we're there! I can't believe I'm presenting tomorrow! I'm so nervous and stressed but it's ALMOST OVER!

My business cards are arriving today, my posters have been sent to Replica (two days ago) for print along with the other two pieces of collateral and my resume. They'll be all ready for me to pick up tomorrow morning. I'm taking the morning off from work to get into Philly early to pick up my stuff from Replica, and prepare for my presentation.

Presentation is mostly done; I'm waiting from feedback from Diane, and I have to swap out two graphics that seem kind of blurry. I'll have to try to link it up later; blogger won't let me just add it to my post.

Good luck everyone, we're almost there!

Week 9!!

I simply cannot believe it's week 9! This quarter has flown by - especially since it's my last at AiPH.

Last week I spoke with Tavia Danch, the Education Coordinator, at Clean Ocean Action. She gave me some feedback on the poster designs, and we discussed "legs" for the project. Based on her feedback, as well as some feedback from my mentor, Yampolsky, I tweaked the poster designs a bit. I also completed a draft of their "Save the Date" cards for the beach sweeps, and came up a with an "insert mailer" as I'm calling it; something that would go in an envelope with beach tags that are purchased by mail. I'm waiting for feedback on those last two items, but for the most part, this is it.

I've started drafting my presentation. For the most part I know what I'm going to say, it's just a matter of pulling it all together.

Here we go!

Draft Designs

I've finally gotten somewhere with my designing! I've kind of been in a rut the past two weeks - I had most of the information, but no direction at all. I didn't know how I wanted to design the posters.

I'm happy to finally have broken through that, and completed the cigarette butts poster, did most of the general poster, and I've just started on the plastics poster. I should have the plastics one done by tomorrow, along with a "save-the-date" card Clean Ocean Action uses for the Beach Sweeps. They sent me the one they're using for this year, and I'm going to redesign it.

The posters definitely need refining, but I'm pretty happy with how they're coming along so far.

Week 6

I have to say, I was a little disappointed with how last week's presentation went. The reviewer seemed a bit off base in several circumstances, and I felt defensive when he started questioning me. He thought the posters and informational brochures wouldn't be of use because he said something to the effect that ignorant people wouldn't pay attention to it and he couldn't understand who was doing all the littering on the beaches? I'm wondering if he's ever been to the beach? He also said I should put a QR code on beach tags (that isn't feasible given the size, space, and holes in the beach tag for the pin) and then said the posters wouldn't be noticed on the lifeguard stands, mentioning that he never paid attention to or walked behind a lifeguard. Again, I'm not sure he's entirely familiar with the environment, the south Jersey shore area. You can't miss the giant white lifeguard stands that sit on the beaches by the waters edge every 500-ish feet.

Anyway. I've started breaking down the information I'm planning on using on the posters. I'm going to be using the 2010 Beach Sweeps data unless Clean Ocean Action is able to provide me with the data from 2011.


Poster #1:
- Total amount of trash collected
- Total number of volunteers
-Percentage breakdown of trash (Plastic, foam, metal, paper, glass, wood, rubber, cloth)
- Top 12 marine debris items
- Tourism statistics on how many visitors the shore had


Poster #2:
- How plastic harms marine life: entanglement and ingestion
- Biodegradation of various plastic materials
- How many marine mammals die each year from plastics
- How using a reusable bag and reusable water bottle can help reduce plastic litter
- Pounds of plastics littered on beaches each year compared to an animal - like "X pounds of plastics are littered on beaches each year which is equal to Y number of (some marine animal)"


Poster #3:
- Total number of cigarette filters+cigar tips collected
- Rough estimate of how long all the smoking litter would stretch (distance) if laid end-to-end
- Harmful effects of smoking litter
- Biodegradation of cigarette filters ("Yet butts don't biodegrade, they only break down. The distinction is important to environmentalists, who say butts end up as a plastic residue that stays in ecosystems for decades. A substance that biodegrades, by contrast, is usually organic: plant or animal matter neutralized by enzymes or sunlight.")
- Toxic leeching of chemicals into water
- Some facts from: http://www.beachapedia.org/Cigarette_Butt_Litter

Conceptually, I was thinking that these posters could be used on the back of lifeguard stands and in the areas where beach tags are sold. I'm also thinking it'd be nice to use the Clean Ocean Action logo and website at the bottom, and maybe a QR code so people could scan it and find out how they can become involved.

I'm going to start sketching some roughs today now that I have an idea of the information I'm using, and see how it goes from there.

Mood Board

So my mood board is kind of rough - I have a general idea of colors, some fonts I was playing around with, and a few samples of elements and infographic styles I like.




For my 10 minute class presentation today I will also be showing other examples of infographics that I like the style of. I've started disseminating all the information I have to organize it for the 3 different posters I will be creating. I'm going to design the posters as 16x20, but since they will be created in Illustrator, they can obviously be scaled larger. I have a few more bits of information I'm trying to dig up, so we'll see how that goes.

Week 5!

I've finally made contact with two people over at Clean Ocean Action. I've provided them my timeline for the projects I wish to complete for Senior Project, and indicated that I will continue working with them after my quarter is over on the Beach Sweeps initiative. I've also summarized my design ideas to them, and will be sending them my mood boards by the end of the week. They seem pretty excited to be working with me, I hope this goes well.

I've began breaking down the information I want to present on the 3 posters.

Poster #1 will be sort of an overview poster; the total amount of trash collected (475,321 pieces of litter in 2010), the number of volunteers, the breakdown by percentages of the content of the trash (plastic, glass, paper, etc.), the top 12 marine debris items, a bio-degradation timeline, and maybe a few other things.

Poster #2 will focus on the plastics, which made up 74% of the litter. I'm going to show how it harms marine life (via ingestion or entanglement), the biodegradation of plastics.

Poster #3 will focus on cigarette butts/filters found on the beaches, the impact of the litter, and whatever else I can come up with. This poster idea, though based on my original project idea, is the least fleshed out at this point.

I have to put together my mood boards, but I have a general feel for how I'd like the posters to look. At this point (and given my time), my focus is on completing 3 poster designs. If time provides, I'd love to take a stab at redesigning the Beach Sweeps Annual Report, but we'll see.

Some references:

Infographic #1

Infographic #2 (I really like the style of this one)

Infographic #3

Biodegradation Facts

Atlantic City Tourism Statistics

Fact For The Week:

Did you know that it takes 200 years for an aluminum can to biodegrade?

Week 4 Update

I have not heard back from anyone at Clean Ocean Action so far. I'm going to try calling again today, and if I'm not able to make some concrete plans with them, I'm going to do the project independently, but still "for them", if you will.

I've found their annual report of the beach sweeps that goes over their mission as well as the statistical data collected from the beach sweeps. I think I'd like to shoot to redesign that as one part of my project.

The other aspect I'd like to work on is an infographic poster using the statistical data of what was found on the beach sweep in an informative and well-designed poster that could be used for public awareness and education.

The third component I would like to work on is a brochure about the beach sweeps; I'm still waiting to get in contact with someone who is in charge of the beach sweeps for Clean Ocean Action. If I am able to meet with them, I'll be able to see what materials they have already and what I can redesign. If I am unable to meet with them, I will design a brochure from scratch advertising the beach sweeps. Clean Ocean Action relies on volunteers to assist with the beach sweeps for the beaches throughout NJ, so I'd want to make sure this brochure would get people's attention and inspire them to come out and be a part of the cleanup.

One final component I would like to work on is, if time is permitting, I'd like to design some direct mailers. I have a few ideas in my head, but we'll see how the rest of the project timeline goes.

Action Plan so far:

By Week 5:
Begin designing the infographic; come up with a size, decide what information will be included, research other infographic posters, decide on a color scheme, and begin sketches for elements to be used on the poster. If possible, try to meet with Clean Ocean Action for their active participation in the project. *Mentor Referral Due!*

By Week 6:
Rough design of infographic, hopefully will have met with Clean Ocean Action as well. Begin setting up design for annual report. Rough draft of trifold Beach Sweeps brochure.

By Week 7:
Final infographic design. Final trifold design. Continue working on annual report.

Update & 7 Weeks Left!

I have still not received a response from the Press of Atlantic City for information; I'm going to attempt to call them tomorrow if I still haven't heard back from them.

I did, however, manage to get in touch with someone from Clean Ocean Action, and we spoke for about 20 minutes. Zach, the person I spoke with, seemed very happy with the idea of me working with them to provide some graphic design support. I discussed some of my ideas with him, and he seemed to really like the idea of an infographic poster. He asked me to send him an email with all my thoughts and ideas so that he could pass it along to the person who works specifically with the beach sweeps, so I'm hoping I'll be able to have a meeting with them sometime early next week.

My research paper is about 2/3 of the way done; I got a little bit of a late start on it due to my initial indecision about a topic, but I think now I'll be able to get moving with the project itself.

Today I meet with my mentor at 12:30 and then Zatz at 1:20. I'm hoping to have my paper finished, but at least I have an idea, a project, and a direction.

For my reference - links:
NJ beachgoers leave nearly a half-million pieces of trash behind

Heroin, underwear among items found in New Jersey beach haul

Cape May Smoking Ban/Smoke Free Beaches

Decisions and Research.

I think I've pretty much decided to go with the cigarette butt beach clean-up idea. I am attempting to get some information for that, but currently, any archived articles in the Press of Atlantic City that deal with the information would cost me $3 per article.

I've emailed an HR person at the Press and explained my project as well as the information I'm seeking, so we'll see if they get back to me.

In the mean time, I've been trying to pull what I can from various searches. I found some information about beaches in Sandy Hook, NJ, which is north of where I live.

"Clean Ocean Action, the environmental group that has been doing beach sweeps for 25 years, says in a report to be released Tuesday that an all-time high of 475,321 pieces of litter were removed from the state’s 127-mile shoreline last year. The 8,372 people who participated in spring and fall cleanups also set a record.

Plastics accounted for nearly three-quarters of the debris plucked from the beaches, with plastic caps or lids topping the list at 61,895. Miscellaneous bits and pieces of plastic were next at 51,249 items, followed by cigarette filters (an all-time high of 45,903), food wrappers or bags (43,113), straws or coffee stirrers (39,029), foam pieces (22,099), and bottles (18,212). Wood and lumber accounted for 10,384 items, followed closely by cigar tips (10,328) and shopping bags (8,619)." ( Article link)

So cigarette butts (filters) and cigar tips alone numbered over 56,000 pieces of litter that we collected by Clean Ocean Action last April. That's disgusting. That's about 443 cigarette butts/cigar tips for every mile of shoreline in the 127 mile long stretch!!

I've also contacted the group, Clean Ocean Action to see if they would like to partner with me on an awareness campaign, or if they need any graphic design support for their current campaigns. So we'll see where I go with this.

Breaking News!

I've written up 3 (because I'm indecisive like that) proposals for my senior project.

I've been really struggling with this; sometimes I feel more like I'm an artist than a designer - I just want to make beautiful things that catch people's attention. The idea of working with a non-profit to me felt limiting and kind of dull.

But as I was reviewing my proposals this morning, I remembered some work I had done last year for a non-profit based in Cape May, The Center for Community Arts. So I shot my contact over there an email to see if I can support them in any way. So we'll see. I'm so indecisive. But I know I want this project to be good; I want it to mean something, I want it to have some sort of impact in terms of it's design.

So, Zatz, if you're reading this, I have 3 proposals written, and a 4th idea that I just set into motion this morning. Yes, I am really indecisive. But this is the culmination of my 6-odd years at AiPH. I want it to be good.

Countdown to graduation!

Welcome to my project blog! I have to come up with 2 idea proposals by Thursday for my senior project, and have been tossing around a couple of thoughts.

Idea #1: I've been working in cubical land for over 8 years - there are so many little etiquette things people seem oblivious to - like clipping your nails at your desk. REALLY? So I was thinking of a slightly tongue-in-cheek poster campaign to call attention to inappropriate office behavior.

Idea #2: The DOT recently redid the traffic circle by my work, making it the most ridiculously inefficient and ineffective traffic flow control system. I was tossing around the idea of designing some sort of signage or something to help handle the traffic and confusion. Not sure; ideally it'd be better to turn it back into a regular traffic circle.

Idea #3: Cigarette butts tossed on the beach. People do this all summer, and there used to be a group that would clean up the beach and give a final count at the end of summer in the newspaper to show how many butts were discarded. Maybe some sort of public awareness campaign and come up with a solution to where to dispose cigarette butts.

Idea #4: This one is more personal, but I was thinking of some sort of childfree thing. I'm childfree by choice - and it is a choice, just like having kids is a choice. You don't HAVE to have children, or feel forced into having kids thinking it's just something everyone does. Still trying to flesh this idea out a bit.

I've emailed one of my professors to see if they'll be my mentor for this project. Still waiting to hear back. I'm also hoping by the end of the weekend to have my ideas fleshed out and narrowed down to 2 so I can write up the project proposals.

Can I also just mention that I'm disappointed I won't be allowed to have friends or family there when I present? This is the big end, the culmination of a lot of hard work and over 6 years of school, and it'd be nice if it were more of an open event. When I defended my senior project in my first degree, biology, it was open to not only faculty and those evaluating me, but outside people and family as well.