In this master thesis we explored sustainable design practices that would support more socially oriented design, not just consumerism. It raises the question of how we can apply our graphic design skills to projects that support communities, don't harm the environment and don't end up with a product that needs to be sold. The aim of the work was to engage with the local community and use graphic design skills to communicate and establish more sustainable practices in the student environment. In the theoretical part, we explored the roles of graphic designers over time and their impact in the current socio-economic order - capitalism. We explored concepts such as sustainability and greenwashing, as well as possible design alternatives offered by design communities or design activism. In the experimental part, we conducted a semi-structured interview with the Centre for Extracurricular Activities, investigated the corporate graphic identity of the University of Ljubljana and made an overview of the communication of sustainability content on the example of four different universities. We used Affinity software to design the image for the Tek od faksa do faksa, which this year was sustainability themed, and developed a template for a badge that the University of Ljubljana could use to communicate sustainability content and events in a holistic way. The research showed that supporting local communities and participating in socially oriented projects is the most sustainable solution we can bring to our work as designers. Awareness of the responsibility we have in our work is key, alongside an understanding of concepts such as sustainability, which is often just a cover for harmful practices. In the end, the question was to what extent it makes sense to integrate sustainability into all areas of our lives without losing its original meaning.
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