Explore current designs. "Green" designs are becoming very popular and can be found on all manner of products in many different forms, from the recycling symbol stamped on water bottles to advertising graphics showing off how environmentally friendly a product is. You can find all manner of design inspiration in magazines, blogs, books, on TV, and on product packaging. Look for repeated themes such as "seals" on organic products and styles.
Choose appropriate colors. Many people underestimate the power of color, but they can affect their choices subconsciously. Your choice of color communicates the ideals and purpose of your design to people. Use your reference images and observations of designs for similar products. Often you can tell simply by looking at a design whether it successfully advertises the product, but you can also look at sales figures, particularly after a recent packaging or advertising design change. Ideally, your design will be more successful than your competition. As an obvious visual cue, many environmentally friendly designs are green in color, but there are many shades of green, some of which are more effective at communicating. Use a color guide such as the ones produced by Pantone for designers to find appropriate shades.
Create your graphic using a computer program. Though some people prefer the feeling of building a design using paper, it is "greener" to create a digital version. If you do create your design with paper, try using recycled materials such as plastics or packaging from other products. Use post-consumer waste recycled paper products.
Avoid "green washing" your designs. Green washing is the practice of intentionally marketing and advertising (through design) a product as being more environmentally friendly than it actually is. This is a disturbingly common trend in some sectors and, besides being unethical, it opens up the client to lawsuits for false advertising.
Use solar panels or wind to generate electricity to power your computer, printer, lights and other design tools.
Print your design on recycled papers, posters or signage. You should also use eco-friendly and biodegradable plastic-like products or materials like hemp, canvas and cotton instead of printing on standard t-shirts, bags and plastic packaging.
Choose earth-friendly and non-toxic dyes such as those made from soy dyes or other natural dyes.