There is an environmental crisis looming on the horizon, and with it, a growing concern populates the consciousness of the earthlings that inhabit our wonderful planet. Numerous campaigns are being initiated to help increase awareness of the critical state of the planet's resources, our impact on it and how we can help.
And so, my spotlight for Site of Note falls on Carbonica. Not only for its aesthetic value, but also for their efforts towards relieving the plight of the environment in its critical condition.
What do they do?
“Our mission is to combat global warming. We do this by planting trees. Global warming is the big issue of modern times. Climate change affects us all, because we all need to live on this planet and protect its future...
Our mission is to act fast. In Carbonica we believe that the only way to combat global warming is by combining a low-carbon economy with a programme of managed forestry on an unprecedented scale. We believe that by restoring vast areas of rainforest it is possible to recapture carbon from the atmosphere at a significant rate.”
From a design perspective - the layout seems to be really well thought out. The use of cardboard, raw, natural textile and grungy typesets give an overall recycled effect, further emphasizing the green initiative of the website’s goals.
Carbonica's use of cartoon imagery and animation gives it a fun feeling and and thus engages the user further.
The navigation is on the left, which from a usability perspective could’ve perhaps worked better on the right. They could have instead dedicated the right column entirely to their blog. As one navigates away from the home page, the right column becomes rather lengthy in comparison to the main content area and for this reason, many of the posts get lost in the abyss of scrolling.
One of the site's main features is the Carbon Footprint Calculator, with which you can calculate your car’s annual carbon footprint. A nifty little addition that will keep me coming back.
In conclusion, the website's layout offers itself to criticism but the overall feeling I get is one of environmental consciousness, which makes it a winner in my books.
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