The Sweeter Side

Design is about optimism.

Designers are always looking for ways to improve how we live. From large-scale engineering feats such as new high-rise building techniques to the smallest microchip – good design has improved our quality of life remarkably.

Design is about learning from the past and looking forward. The Gulf Oil Spill has touched the hearts of everyone I know – but especially my friends and family who live in North Florida and across the Southeast. Fisherman, sailors, outdoorsmen, birdwatchers and even crunchy granola kayakers share the same sorrow. This is our common ground. It is also a chance to look forward in a positive way.

The oil spill is yet another reminder that good design is needed. It is another reminder that America’s roots as a world leader began with innovative minds that have spearheaded new technologies for centuries. We can still be that leader. It is another reminder that we, as Americans, need to look forward and design a better way of life – not just for future generations – but for ourselves. We are designers and we can design a diverse portfolio of new and old energy technologies that will bring us to a sustainable energy age.

I am optimistic that we can achieve this. And the Gulf Oil Spill is a reminder to us that we should not compromise on good design.

At Onyx Group we are hosting a fundraiser to benefit Apalachicola Riverkeeper (www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org), a non-profit organization with a mission of finding solutions to preserve and protect our local waters. The event is called “The Sweeter Side” – because we believe that good design results in positive change. We, as individuals, a community and a nation have a lot of work ahead of us – but we will get there because deep down, we are all designers.