The Environmental Defense Fund is a US-based, nonpartisan, nonprofit environmental advocacy group. As their name suggests, the EDF is dedicated to Earth-friendly issues including global warming, ecosystem restoration, oceans, human health, polar bears, and small children.

I'm not usually a big fan of mixed-case logotype, but the EDF's old logo was executed surprisingly well, and felt considered rather than arbitrary. A single lowercase "e" — clean, simple, without excess. The round letterform may have alluded to our little blue planet, and the overall minimalism is a strong token of restraint.

Well, all that has been washed away by the rising tide of bad design clichés. Not enough emotional connection, you say? We shall give it dynamic swooshes (they can represent land and sea!). Too cold? Our blue Earth has been blanketed in a warm gradient glow. But isn't going "green" dangerously elitist? Have no fear, we have inserted bad typography to appeal to the common man. But what's an environmental logo if it didn't represent moderation in some form? Easy, we just take away proper leading — what better way to signify saving?

It seems we treat design in much the same way as we deal with the environment — creating problems for ourselves and then trying to fix these by throwing more resources at it instead of leaving well enough alone.

via Brand New.

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