INTRODUCTION ATLAS NEWS STORE ABOUT US SITE MAP

Colophon
About Our Choices


Green Mapmakers shine as promoters and interpreters, archivists and guides, and the Green Map Atlas honors their creativity and vision. With this colophon, we continue the open spirit of the Atlas project by explaining some of our choices in concept, design and production.

Readers can download the entire volume or select individual Stories, which stand well on their own. Stories are presented in south to north order, lending fresh global balance to the cross-cultural Atlas. Each reflects regional spelling differences, individual writing styles, and local variations in image quality. Measurements are given in both metric and imperial units to facilitate conversion, and currency values include a US dollar equivalent.
With a diverse, worldwide readership, our design choices for both the Atlas and this website reflect the need to balance consistency with universal access. The landscape-oriented layout fits well on a computer screen and evokes the expansiveness of an open book. A uniform grid enables easy comparison between Stories, and each community's color theme draws on its Green Maps while considering relevant cultural associations.

The Atlas can be printed on either international A4 or US letter-size recycled paper. To conserve on toner use, we maintained a light, harmonious feel and avoided color backgrounds. Even when printed in black and white, the tonality stays true. The font is Emigre's Tarzana, chosen for its legibility across different versions, and its informal feel. It also balances well with the Japanese font, Hiragino Kaku Gothic.
The Green Map Atlas was created on Apple Macintosh computers, using Adobe InDesign CS, Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, Acrobat 5.0, Acrobat Reader 5.0 and 6.0. The Internet was instrumental in allowing our international team to collaborate. Our cover map is the Fuller Projection —a highly accurate perspective emphasizing the interconnected nature of the Earth. The Atlas logo was designed to harmonize with the logo for Green Map System.

Published digitally, the Atlas is easy to distribute, display, print and bind locally, minimizing ecological costs while allowing the greatest possible global reach.

We created the Atlas to catalyze social action for community sustainability. We encourage you to tell us how it has affected you, and to help us shape and support the Atlas' future.
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