Picture taken by Carl Van Rooy Photography

The Super Bowl is considered arguably the most highly anticipated sporting event of the year. Even more so for the host city as it brings in millions of dollars for the city, creates a national buzz, and floods the town with celebrities. Everything about the Super Bowl is excessive; this includes the amount of energy used and waste produced.

The Super Bowl isn’t known for being overly environmentally responsible. But for the last 2 decades the Super Bowl planning committee began to consciously evaluating how they could reduce their impact on the host cities environment, and Super Bowl XLVI is promised to be the most “Green” Super Bowl to date.

This year the NFL has paired with Green Mountain Energy to power the Super Bowl in Indianapolis with renewable energy.

Kara Scharwath wrote in her article on Tripledundit.com, “…these renewable energy credits will not just cover the electricity used at Lucas Oil Stadium during the game. The NFL actually purchases enough to offset the electricity consumed during the NFL’s entire month-long tenancy at the stadium and Indiana Convention Center, as well as the week-long occupancy of all four of the major NFL hotels.” That’s pretty amazing that an effort from the NFL for one game can make that much of an impact.

The NFL is also working to get the Indianapolis community involved by creating a contest called the 1^st & Green Environmental Challenge that challenged the participants to reduce their carbon and water usage.  Check out the website to see exactly how much has been saved during this initiative. The results are substantial. Green Mountain Energy has a cool graphic on their website that makes the amount of energy saved and gasses reduced more understandable.

This interested me a lot being a die-hard football fan and an advocate of environmental responsibility. I know the Super Bowl will still have some negative impact on the environment but it is still refreshing to see that they will go through this length to improve its “green” standards. Make sure you check out the links posted throughout this blog, whether or not you are a big football fan or consider yourself an environmentally conscious person, you will find the sites interesting.

Let us know what you think below! Are there any other steps the NFL should make in continuing its climb to a more environmentaly sustainable event?

Also read 5 Ways the Super Bowl is Going Green.

Written By Ryan Farrell

Do you have tons of art that you would love to sell but you have no time or no clue how to do it yourself? Welcome to Society6 where making some extra cash for your artistic talent has never been so effortless.

Society6 sells art prints on a variety of surfaces from artists around the globe. Anyone is eligible to submit their prints after becoming a verified member. The best part is, society6 never claims authority over your art – you will always control the rights to your work, even if a retail partner of the site picks up your art, you are still the boss.

In order to start selling, you just have to upload a high res image of your work and poof, anyone and everyone can start viewing (and buying) your masterpieces! And unlike a lot of art print websites out there, you never have pay a fee to be a part of Society6 – when you first upload your art, you tell them how much of a profit you would like to make and they set the price that the customers buy it at so they make their money and you make yours. Also, depending on what the customer wants to buy your print on, i.e. a canvas, shirt, iPhone skin, etc., you make additional profits.

So get started making beautiful, important or thought provoking art, post it to society6 and then sit back and let the money come to you! If you post your art on Society6, share a link with us!

Written By Myranda Harnage

Recently, I was working for an eco friendly logo design company. I feel that I have little difficultly in designing brochures or websites for “green” companies. Environmental designs primarily consist of green or earth colors and organic shapes. However sometimes you design a logo with organic shape it will turn out terrible or looking less professional. So, I browsed for great looking eco friendly logos and found a few that stood out above the rest.

The Whole Foods Market logo uses white and green common colors and fully describes that their company is eco-friendly. The letter ‘O’ shape looks like a piece of fruit. The Green color and leafy shape gives us green and well being food market images. Also their logo is well applied on paper bags and websites, keeping their brand constantly in view of the consumer.

BP sells motor fuel that had previously been sold under the enigmatic label ‘Palm Tree Oil’.  They are commonly known as ‘BP’ which is short for British Petroleum. Since the 1930s they kept the consistent green color on their old and new logos. Green and yellow color and sunflower or sun shape symbol fully describe they are thinking about environmental. Probably presents that you are making the world better place through filling BP on your car.  BP provides energy sources all over the world so using a logo that resembles sun implies that this is the greatest source for energy. The green on the outside resemble flowers or plants, this would represent constant growth. Hoever you interpret the design, the BP logo is distinctive amongst competitors’ logos and marketing.

This is just a small case study of two successful eco friendly logos that are both green and organic shaped but simple and very professional. I think describing and mix sense of eco-friendly and brand identity can create successful green marketing logos. Tell us what you think about two best eco-friendly logos.

Written By Anna Kim

Recently we have had the pleasure of working with a new up and coming construction company called JH Exteriors. Just as many new companies, JH Exteriors needed to create their company image. With an already deep list of clients, they needed to be able to help their clients spread the word. So we at Trileaf Designs developed a way for them to accurately display their work, a medium for growth. We did this by developing a new company logo, business cards and a website. The identity of the company was there, we just illuminated it.

JH Exteriors is a new branch of their parent company, JH Construction. While this may be a new company, it is rooted in experience. This experience allows JH Exteriors to ensure the highest quality service at an honest price by allowing their employees to solely focus on the exterior of the home. JH Exteriors is a family owned company that takes pride in only hiring clean cut, respectful, knowledgeable employees.  Their motto is “Honest Products, Honest People” and that pride that they take in their work is shown from start to finish. To ensure that you have a good experience, the project is discussed with the client prior to any work being done. After speaking with them it is comforting not only to know what is going to be done to your house, but why and how.

I personally love the quality over quantity approach. Customer service is lost on many construction companies today that have the “on to the next one” approach. JH Exteriors has a great reputation with their clients and the majority of their new clients come from word of mouth. Whether you looking to replace your windows or fix your roof from storm damage, you want the job done right from honest people. The exterior of your house is many people’s only impression of you, it is important to make the right choice. You can check out some of JH Exteriors work and get more info on upgrading your windows, siding, roof, or doors check out their website here.

Written by Ryan Farrell

There has been talk about future technology and what it will being us: robots, cars driving themselves, phones having all your information on it.  In the ‘Epidermal devices integrate electronics into the body’, researchers are looking for ways to put information and technology on your body.

These small electronic devices (gizmos) were developed by researchers to create medical devices for premature infants and special-needs patients that were less hindering for the patient involved. For premature infants, this is a huge breakthrough since they are so small and have fragile skin that blood-pressure cuffs and monitors are so large, they end up hurting more than helping. For special-needs, some patients try to pull things off and with the gizmos, make it where they can’t easily see the device.

Through research, these devices are becoming smaller and more powerful yet they are still bulky external devices that have to be touched or often held in your hand. The new stretchy, wireless electronics say that they are seamlessly assimilate the body with the world of electronics.

The article states the “electronic components, which include light-emitting diodes, solar cells, transistors and antennae, among many things, were all constructed on a malleable net of wavy S-shapes…which is sandwiched between two protective layers of polyimide…these layers sit on top of a rubbery silicone film.” The silicone film adheres to your skin with weak chemical bonds. The researchers have discovered that if you apply it as a temporary tattoo it will stick longer which also hides the device.

This device has drawn some interest from the CIA and other organizations. The researchers have said that if the device is placed on the throat of two different people that they could have a private conversation. The devices can be built to detect and transmit movements in the muscles, like in the throat, without even saying a word. The silicone “skin” over the device moves with human skin, wrinkles and stretches. This makes the devices less hindering.

The only downfall to the silicone “skin” is the long term use. Up to six hours, the “skin” collects data accurately and shows no signs of degradation or irritation. Since your skins cells “periodically slough off”, it causes the device to not work as long. The researchers plan to improve the problems over time.

I personally believe this device is good for the medical field. I think it would be beneficial for patients and doctors alike. I also believe that it should stay in the medical field. I personally don’t like the idea of having valuable information on my skin. This reminds me of the book, “The Bar Code Tattoo” by Suzanna Weyn, but that is just my opinion. What do you think?

For the full article please refer to http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/333186/title/Computers_get_under_our_skin_

Written By Katherine Bangert

How to sell great creative

First off, you have to be able to develop great creative.

And what exactly is great creative, anyway? It’s advertising or marketing communications or experiential marketing that grabs your attention and makes you think. It stops you in your tracks and makes an impression – pulling at your heartstrings or punching you in the gut or making you smile – and all the while, strongly delivering whatever your selling message is in a big way.

Great creative really isn’t great unless it makes an impact and delivers on what the original strategy was. If you have a generic strategy, you’re going to wind up with generic communications.

So great creative begins with a great creative strategy – something that has been seen and signed off on by your client. If your presentation doesn’t begin with an overview of your creative strategy, you’ve already lost.

What you need to do is review that strategy. Focus on the key message that your communications are going to deliver. Get agreement and buy-in. See heads nod up and down in affirmation. Then, if the work you’re presenting clearly answers the key message that you’re conveying, you’re more than halfway there.

Many people like to present more than one concept to a client. That’s okay, as long as each concept is on-target and on-strategy. But it also makes your selling job a little more difficult. Most times, but not always, your client will choose the safest of the executions you present and the concept you really wanted to sell will be relegated to your “ideas that never made it” file.

So by showing multiple ideas, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. Of course, if you only enter the room with one campaign and your client asks, “Is that all you got?” then maybe your work wasn’t quite as powerful as you may have thought.

But if you truly believe that what you’re presenting is the absolute best solution for your client, you need to be a warrior. You need to fight for your ideas because ultimately, that is what your client is paying you for, right?

It’s a fine line to walk. You need to fight and defend in a way that shows your client you are passionate about their business and doing what is best for them.  If the work you’re presenting truly is right on target and they bought off on the strategy, that’s a sound argument on your behalf. Perhaps your idea could be tested or run by your target audience for their reaction. If you can do this before you present and have it in your pocket, that’s all the better.

Sometimes, though, all the reasoning and logic in the world won’t help to sell your great idea. That’s when you need to go back to the proverbial drawing board and top it.

We’re in a business where logic and reason doesn’t always apply. You need to have thick skin. And you need to always be ready to re-group, re-energize and realize that if that first great campaign or concept didn’t fly, you’ve got another one in your pocket that will.

Written by Thomas Blood

Let it be known to the local restaurants that a challenge has been issued. This challenge is a challenge of sustainability, a challenge of economic responsibility. The non-for-profit organization, St. Louis Earth Day, has formed a super group of Eco-heroes in the Green Dining Alliance initiative.

The Green Dining Alliance, GDL, sounds more like a cartoon super hero group than a group of advocates to reduce the environmental impact of St. Louis area restaurants and diners. Although they are not super heroes, they do have some super goals for their first full year in 2012. By the end of the year, the GDL hopes to build its membership to at least 80 local restaurants but also to reduce landfill waste by 800 tons. That’s right 800 tons! This is a fairly ambitious platform for success, but with the support of area restaurants and consumers this goal is more than achievable.

To become a member of the GDL a restaurant must go through an evaluation process in which they are graded on a scale of one to four stars. The grade is based on seven different categories. These categories include; recycling and waste reduction, water conservation, energy conservation, sourcing, chemicals, awareness and innovation. If the restaurant fails to meet these guidelines they will receive recommendations on how they can improve their standing in the green community. They also give the restaurant patrons a way of voicing their concern to their favorite restaurants by leaving little printed nudges toward a greener approach in the form of little flyers.

I was relieved to find out that some of my favorite restaurants are already members of the Green Dining Alliance. Schlafly Tap Room and Schlafly Bottle works were two places I already loved going to because of the food and atmosphere, but knowing at what lengths they went to reduce their waste and energy use gave me a sense of pride knowing that my money went to such establishments. It is now up to us to reward these local businesses for the effort they put into making St. Louis a better place to live in the future. It’s up to us to pressure our favorite places to eat to adopt the practices of their more eco friendly rivals in order to maintain their current level of business. This is what is best for the consumer, best for the city, and best for the planet as a whole.

To find out more information on the Green Dining Alliance, including a list of their current members, vist their website at http://www.stlouisearthday.org/green-dining-alliance/.

Written by Ryan Farrell

Over the past two years it keeps hitting me that life is all about balance–balance of work and play, balance of family and work, balance of personal time and spending time with others, balance of the books, balance of pricing, balance of the music being played in the office, balance of everything. The most recent balance that I have been trying to find is that of great customer service and standing up for myself.

Recently we had a client who okayed their project a few times. We then sent it to print. When the client received their print pieces, they said that the color and paper was wrong. Looking back over notes, print proofs and digital proofs, they all matched. I told the client that I would design a new design for free, along with photoshopping their photo that they did not like. I thought this was meeting them half way. They were still not happy. It was then that I asked the critical question, “What would make it better?” “Reprint them” was their answer.

For me that means hundards of dollars spent on something that was not my fault. But on the flip side it means making the client happy. The next few days I talked with my trusted advisors. Some said to just make it right. Others said that some people will always try to get things reduced or for free and that I need to protect myself from that. What is the line you walk? If you always give away your services and pay for client’s items, then your company will die. If you do not make the client happy, then you will lose clients, and your company will also die.

I do not think there is a cut and dry answer to this question. I really think that it depends on the situation and past history with the client. Over the years, I have given things away, went above and beyond, and lost quite a bit of revenue. Yes, it probably helped the image of my company, but I have to wonder if it really helped my company.

What is the solution? I think it is protecting yourself. First of all, have everything in writing–no verbal agreements. Even it if it through email, you have a communication path to follow. Second, get everything proofed. Have the client okay the proof through email and sign off on any printed proofs. Therefore, you can show that they okayed it. Third, have some rules and stick to them. Make them your company’s policies.

Over the past six months, I have been working on this one, with some help. I have such a drive to make everyone happy that I had to inlist some help to keep me on track. What were some of the rules I made? First of all, I made the rule that all pricing is firm. We have set price sheets that go to everyone. That way I cannot feel bad and give people discount after discount that are just hurting my company. Second, all project bids have to be in a bid form, and if there is a change, a new bid is sent or it is signed off on. Also, make the rule that invoices are sent the same month and a followup, or late payment, notice is implemented if payment is not received the next month. When it comes to quality, make the rule that if there is even a small chance that it is your fault, take care of it. If it can be proven through great documentation that it is not your fault, nicely show and explain that to the client. What if the client still wants you to “make it right” even it if is their fault? Well then you have to decide how much you will lose if you lose that client and their network. If it is worth it, stand your ground. If not, you might just have to suck it up.

I know that it sounds pretty cut and dry. But for someone like me who wants to make everyone happy, it is still a hard balance to get used to and find. Everything is a work in progress. I have learned a lot in the past three years of business, and know I will learn a lot in the next three. Do you have any suggestions on how to find the right balance?

By Rachel Boone

Having a well-designed website is important for business. A website is one of the most impressive forms of sales presentation and allows you attract your new and existing customers anytime and anywhere.  A professional website with the right content can lead to successful marketing and increase people’s confidence in your company. Many companies work with graphic designers to develop a very professional and well-designed website. But if you only select a web design company, your website could be very disappointing for you and your customers. So, I would like to give you some tips for working with a web designer to create a good website and have a smooth working relationship.

1. Know the process before you start.

Please be familiar with the design process before you start the project. Depending on the project, mock-ups can be different than you expect. Having a clear idea of the process can reduce review cycles, budget and time.

2. Communication about your roles, not just about your website, is key.

If you have a specific idea, color, feel or style in mind, please let your designers know. Different designers have different design styles and expectations for their customers. Giving them some idea about what result you are expecting helps designers tailor their style to your site.

3. Give specific examples of what you want.

If you have specific competitor sites or sites that target the same audiences, show us. I think most designers are visual learners, so we understand some concepts better with images or by seeing examples.

4. Give specific examples of what you don’t want.

The more your designer knows up front, the better. Please discuss with us what you don’t want to be on your site.

5. Open your mind.

Be prepared to see at least one mockup that you like.

6. Give it some time to sink in.

Please listen to the designer’s explanation about the intent and alternatives. And taking extra time to discuss comments can reduce future irritation on your web site.

7. Deliver honest criticism.

Communicate your revision to your project designer honestly but not ideally.  Clear response on a design can lead a designer and your goal at the same time.

8. Consider technical issues.

Technical issues can cause your beautiful design to look ugly. Be sure to discuss these issues before the design process begins. If you are planning on using Flash or some old browsers, we need to consider what will work on your site or not.

TriLeaf Designers’ jobs are making you satisfied with your website and the working process. Please tell what is good or bad about the working process or the designs. We are glad to hear your honest and constructive criticism.

To read the original article go to: http://www.collaborint.com/resources/website_planning/designer_tips.asp