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What happens when you take equal parts of Bright Ideas and Big Design? You get Neon Sumo, a place where sumo-sized design is delivered with zero carbon footprint.

Neon Sumo is an environmentally friendly design shop, specializing in web design. We are located in Denver, Colorado, and work out of carbon neutral offices. As residents of the beautiful state of Colorado, we enjoy taking full advantage of the great outdoors whenever possible. As such, we understand first hand how delicate the environment is. So much of design is unsustainable, but there is great room for improvement. As designers we find ourselves in the unique position to really make a difference in the way people do business. 

We like to think of ourselves as Green Design super heroes. We are here to save the day… the next day, and hopefully many days to come.  Through concentrated efforts to communicate more effectively and innovative solutions to design challenges, Neon Sumo is changing the way business’s look at design. By designing for a better future, we can begin to take the steps needed to ensure one. 

Wondering what “Green Design” is?

You’re not alone. The term “Green” is about as ubiquitous as lights in Las Vegas these days.  All too often, Green design is associated with granola and tie-dye. However, there is much more to being Green than fluorescent light bulbs and recycled paper.

There are many definitions for Green, but the general idea involves being more environmentally friendly. This is a good start, but at Neon Sumo we are working to push the term to even greater lengths. To us, Green represents the goal of design solutions that address the three bottom lines.  Often in business, the bottom line represents the financial concerns of a business. The second and third bottom line are social and environmental concerns. Effective Green design seeks to benefit all three bottom lines. For example, a green design will financially benefit the company and ensure that the environment is unaffected or even better off due to the production of this product. Furthermore, all the parties concerned with the production of such a product should benefit from it.

Addressing all three of the bottom lines is not an easy task, and that is why people often shy away from such challenges. To assist in helping our clients take the first step towards a more sustainable future, Neon Sumo created “Pro Planet Design.” This is a certification program that promotes responsible practices that affect the second and third bottom lines.  As part of Pro Planet Design, portions of project proceeds are donated to two different charities.

The first is Reef Check, an international organization of scientists and volunteers that advocate for, educate about and protect the world’s reefs.  Neon Sumo pledges to donate a minimum of $100 per month to help support Reef Check.

“Reef Check goals are to: educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life; to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.”

The second charity is Trees for the Future, who is a non-profit dedicated to promoting sustainable forestry and tree planting operations.

“Most communities around the world recognize that they need to plant trees on their degraded lands if they are to improve their lives. We provide technical knowledge on agroforestry and sustainable development, along with planting materials so that communities can return their degraded lands and struggling farms back to sustainable production.”

To read more about Pro Planet design, visit www.proplanetdesign.com

There is a lot that goes into being Green, and often times it can be confusing. Sometimes entirely new solutions need to be developed to successfully benefit all three bottom lines, but the results can be rewarding. 

See what Bright Ideas, Big Design, and a of couple Green Design Super Heroes can do for you hire Neon Sumo today.