What is the purpose of design and architecture? How can designers forge a more sustainable path? Why must we all demand better? The Green Imperative is an urgent call to arms to consider the impact our choices have on the environment before it’s too late.

Based on decades of experience as a designer and educator, Victor Papanek makes a compelling case for more meaningful design at a human scale, using examples from packaging to parking lots, playing cards to playgrounds. This means designing for the long term, using less and re-using more, and sharing resources.

By busting the ‘bigger is better’ myth and challenging the idea of design progress, Papanek guides us all – designers, architects and, crucially, consumers – towards a greener future. His clear prose is as passionate about the possibility for change as it is insightful and instructive.