Ever since I saw Gary Vaynerchuk presenting at the BEA last May I follow him (not literary, just on the web..) and I just love reading about his insights creative ideas. His latest one: pick the best wine to go with a new book.
His first selection was pairing a 2005 Montepulciano with "Ground Up" by Michael Idov.
Here's a little taste of Vaynerchuk's choice on Book Beast: "This is a fun read and is very much a real look at the world. In selecting a wine I aimed for something equally real, a traditional wine without lots of makeup. The 2005 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a real wine with a sense of place. It delivers the charm of a bright Italian red wine and also offers up a subtle coffee-bean flavor that, if only briefly, catapults me right into a neighborhood coffee shop just like Café Kolschitzky."
This is a great idea and Vaynerchuk seems the right person to do it, bringing it in an interesting, educational but also a fun way. I just hope he will soon have the opportunity to pair a new "green" book with a great organic wine!
Publisher John Wiley & Sons released last week its first annual Corporate Citizenship Report to share the progress of its global Corporate Citizenship initiative, which was introduced in 2008, and establish goals for the coming year.
As their press release mentions, Wiley launched this global initiative to address its key social, economic, ethical, and environmental challenges; formalize and globalize its policies and strategies; improve its communications; and become more proactive addressing its carbon footprint and supply chain matters.
This is a very impressive initiative and the report itself is also an achievement in itself, as such report is very rare in the publishing industry. So first and foremost I think Wiley deserves big kudos for their efforts to become more sustainable and for this report. Nevertheless, one thing was missing in this report: figures.
Here's one example: paper. The report is very clear about it:
"Wiley uses paper sourced from mills around the globe and recognizes our responsibility to select papers that meet the highest standards of sustainable, clean, and efficient production.
In 2008-2009, Wiley established global guidelines for environmentally favorable paper sourcing and procurement strategies based on generally accepted best practices, with guidance from stakeholders, industry trade associations, and third-party certifiers. Moving forward, Wiley will adopt locally tailored programs that apply these global principles, guide decision making, and facilitate external communication."
What was achieved in 2009? The report explains that Wiley did the following:
- Formalized global Responsible Paper Sourcing guidelines.
- Reduced paper consumption by adopting lighter weight papers and reducing waste, migrating more print subscriptions to online license deals, and taking advantage of digital technologies to deliver content online as well as more efficiently in print.
What are the goals for 2010? The report gives the details :
- Support paper choices by leveraging resources such as PREPS (Publishers Database for Responsible Environmental Paper Sourcing) and EPAT (Environmental Paper Assessment Tools).
- Reduce paper use and shipping through new print technologies such as Print On Demand and Ultra Short Run.
As you can see Wiley takes the issue of paper very seriously, but were are the numbers? when Wiley says it reduced paper consumption in 2009 - is it a 10% reduction, 25% reduction or maybe 2% reduction? I mean, there's no real way to value these steps when they're put in such a vague way.
And it's not just the part about paper. I also couldn't find on the other parts of the report figures describing either a 2009 achievement or a 2010 goal, except with ethical conduct goals (such as monitoring vendor performance by making annual visits to at least 75% of our major vendors).
Wiley mentions in the report that "This is a long-term initiative, with the full support of our leadership team. It may take years to reach some of our ultimate goals, but we intend to achieve measurable improvement from year to year. For information on our initiative and our progress, please visit www.wiley.com/go/citizenship." I was hoping that maybe the missing figures can be found there, but unfortunately I found none.
Just for comparison let's look at another company from the publishing industry, although this time it's mainly magazines - Time Inc. If you look at their 2007-2008 sustainability report you'll see it's full with figures that let you a good understanding of their efforts and can also assist you to benchmark them against other companies' sustainability efforts. Here's just one example:
After considering what would be both ambitious and practical, Time became the first U.S. publisher to set targets for producing less greenhouse gas throughout its supply chains. Time asked the paper companies to reduce carbon emissions 20% from a 2004 base by the year 2012. Some suppliers pointed out that they had already achieved some reductions before 2004 and felt they deserved credit for their leadership role. To accommodate these suppliers, Time set some alternative but equally challenging goals. Keeping the same target year of 2012, the paper companies have the options of cutting carbon output by 25% from a 2000 base or 30% from a 1996 base.
As I said earlier I still believe Wiley deserves kudos for their efforts and I hope the second report will include all the figures that are so missing here. Nevertheless, I think that this report could do a much better job with figures to help us seeing Wiley's deep commitment to sustainability.
We reviewed this interesting book last Tuesday and we're giving away our review copy, courtesy of the book's publicist. One tree will also be planted for the copy!
How you can win? just add a comment to the book review post or to this post with an answer the following question: What renewable energy system you would like to have at home? Submissions are accepted until Tuesday, August 25, 12PM EST. The winner will be announced the following day.
McKibben came to the show to speak on 350.org, the campaign he is leading, and why he thinks 350 is the most important number in the world. As always with Colbert it was a very funny, but at the same time I think McKibben got the chance to explain the idea behind 350.org and I hope it helps to spread the word about this important movement.
Today we bring you another chapter in what we aim to make a monthly series - State of the green printing - talks with green printers. This series is part of our efforts to promote green printing and to get a better understanding where it stands and how it develops.
Consolidated Printing Company was established by Marilyn Jones in the basement of her Chicago home in 1973 with just $5,000. After more then 35 years Consolidated Printing is one of the leaders in the green printing market and an awarded printer. Marilyn is talking on the interview on the journey she made since the beginning at her home basement in 1973, the current trends and developments in green printing and the future of Consolidate Printing.
Hi Marilyn. Can you tell us what makes Consolidated Printing a green printer?
Consolidated has taken a holistic approach to sustainability, and has addressed everything involved in the process of printing and the facility that houses the plant and offices.Specifically, in the printing process we have zero petroleum, zero carcinogens, zero phthalates.Along with our printing processes being natural our office and plant has been built out with sustainable products and procedures. All of the processes at Consolidated Printing are non-toxic.
What motivated you in the first place to adopt green practices and offer green options to your customers?
Printing is a marvelous business and gives us the opportunity to work with people in many different businesses.One of my first clients was a vitamin manufacturer.He sold mega doses of vitamins to health care practitioners. In 1973 in the Midwest we were not as a society familiar with the benefits of vitamins as a source of healing.Learning from him about the many everyday items that affect your health positively and negatively made me look at the chemicals I was using in my business life.
As I adopted alternative medicine and a natural lifestyle personally the extension went to my business where I adopted the use of many household products to replace toxic chemicals.
Although there were clients I discussed natural healing and natural printing with, I did not do this on a large scale until I participated in our states Great Printers Project. We were inspected and awarded as Illinois First Great Printer in 1997. I found that clients I worked with wanted this award listed on the printing I was doing for them. Printed by Illinois First Great Printer”
What do you consider the most important green element in your green identity?
The most important green element in our green identity is transparency. If I am struggling with some aspect of my mission, I talk about it.We recently replaced a press with the newest model.This new generation press did not take to our natural wash up solution; it could not be weaned from its toxic habit. I would point it out on tours for clients and talk about our processes to find a solution. We did after many months adapt it to our all natural production method. Until we reach transparency we will not become a “green” industry.
As someone who is involved in green printing for many years, what’s the most important changes you see now in the industry?
The industry has changed and embraced the green movement.We have embraced recycled paper and soy ink and a multitude of bogus certifications but, I see only a handful of us across the nation pushing to delve deeper and clean up the industry. Unfortunately, through lack of awareness or lack of dedication I do not see the industry moving to be rid of the toxic and health damaging chemicals.
Every day I read the ads from printers who talk about citrus wash as a green alternative; do they know it has the potential to cause cancer?How is that green? Or a printer who is talking about a waterless press as an answer but not talking about the toxic wash up needed to remove the ink from the press or the plates that are not recyclable. Half truths and misleading. Chemicals can cause liver and kidney problems, cancer, coma, sudden death just to name a few.
What are the most popular green offers now at Consolidated Printing? Is there any particular reason for that?
The most popular green offer at Consolidated is our all natural printing process with the use of no toxic chemicals in our printing process.Our clients tell us our ink is vibrant, the colors deep and rich. We have recently won awards for print excellence from the Printing Industry of Illinois and Indiana, American Printer Magazine and a Gold Ink Award.
What is the most important part for your customers when it comes to buying green printing services?
The most important part for our clients when it comes to buying green printing services is the length of our participation in the greening of printing and the inspections and awards our company has participated in and received.
William D. Schaeffer Environmental Award The Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards Mayor Daley's Green Practices Market Transformation Award Mayor Daley's Green Products Market Transformation Award First Illinois Great Printer
Do you think we are already in the place where green printing is not only supporting the environment but also generating value for businesses?
No, I do not think we are in the place where green printing is supporting the environment or generating value for business.I don’t feel buying wind power is the answer to the energy debate.Supporting renewable energy is great but how can we do it more directly? Is that money really ADDING to the amount of renewable energy used or just subsidizing it? We need to be cutting down our energy use and demanding energy-saving features from our suppliers.As for the pollution printing generates, the technology is there to support the environment but it is not being used by the industry as a whole so printing remains a leading polluter worldwide.
Who is the typical customer that buys green printing services from you?
There is no typical customer who is buying green. All clients are looking for the three original qualifications -price, quality, on time delivery - with the added benefit of being green.Not necessarily in that order.For each client the priority changes but those four requirements remain pretty steady.
How does the recession influence green printing? Is cost becoming more of an issue?
The recession has influenced printing as in every other industry. Cost is an issue.Our system in areas is much more expensive.Our biggest expense is in the past.It was in the research and development, the hours, weeks and months, years put into testing new products and the cost of wasted paper and in overtime hours, products that did not live up to their claims, or new generations of products that were improved and again needed testing.
As a company our employees spend a considerable amount of time working on greening the printing industry and working in the green community. The working hours we all spend on this community involvement to further the green initiative is another area that increases our costs.Time is money.
Whatis your vision of Consolidated Printing 5 years from now?
My vision for Consolidated 5 years from now……hmmm I didn’t have this vision 5 years ago. I would like to see our PrintedgreenTM become the standard for the industry. Meanwhile, we will just keep doing what is right for our workers and the planet.We will continue to partner with our industry to make it a safer place to work and live and make the air we breathe and the water we drink safer.
Thank you Marilyn! You can learn more about Consolidated Printing at their website - www.consolidatedprinting.net
You are also invited to watch this video, which shows an interview conducted with Marilyn last year:
Eco-Libris is working with the authors, Tristan Coopersmith and Todd Johnson, to plant 1250 trees for the copies printed to replenish Mother Earth, replacing the resources used for printing the book. Our logo will appear on the copies printed as well, showing readers the commitment of the authors to improving their impact on the environment.
This is a great book and we're very proud to work with its authors. No matter if your dating days are over (for now..) or you're waiting for them to be over, you'll enjoy this fun and valuable book.
Here are some more details about what you can find in it and the authors.
About the book: Order up…a delicious new dating attitude!Whether you’re convinced all the good guys are taken, sick of kissing frogs, or simply feeling cursed by Cupid, Tristan and Todd, irrepressible best friends and dating aficionados, will teach you how to rock a stellar new outlook on hooking up, dating and finding your “main course,” while filling your calendar (and plate) with loads of tantalizing men.Menu Dating includes innovative new strategies for:
*Cleansing your palette by throwing out your stale dating philosophies and flirting phobias
*Adopting the laidback, positive attitude of someone who knows there’s no such thing as a bad date— just a veritable tapas bar of flavorful experiences and lessons.
*Collecting and taste testing tons of different man candidates (mandidates!)…even the ones you thought you’d never date
*Sexcapading, booty calling and practicing the art of the one-night stand (and yes, every girl should have at least one)
*Avoiding the pitfalls and pratfalls of dating multiple men at the same time
Menu Dating will show you how dating a rotating roster of different men without a fixation on settling down is actually the secret to finding the relationship you deserve. You’ll discern your wants from your needs, your nice-to-haves from your dealbreakers...not to mention, have some seriously delicious fun along the way to meeting your “main course” man.
About the authors: TRISTAN COOPERSMITH and TODD JOHNSON have been best friends since they were eight. As roommates in their 20s, they became each other's dating coaches and interpreters of the puzzling behavior of the opposite sex. Tristan is a trend forecaster in Los Angeles.
Having taste-tested all the way to her main course, Tristan is a happily retired graduate of the MENu Dating program and a newlywed. Todd works in finance in New York, married the woman of his dreams and is the proud father of a baby boy. He continues to be Tristan's "boy's eye view" for all things man-related.
We're happy to bring you today another tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.
Today Greg is talking about a part of your business that you can easily green up and benefit both your business and your customers.
What are your green options when it comes to promotional items? Tip #11
Whether you have a trade show coming or you start thinking about the gifts you want to give your customers this year for the holidays, you might want to consider some eco-friendly options. They're creative, fun, show your customers the environment is important to you and as you'll see it can fit even a very tight budget ,and clients today are searching more than ever for green items.
Here are a couple of examples:
Eco Circles: 3" or 3.375" diameter, coaster looking , NETWORKING CARDS. Hand these out at networking parties, or trade shows, and the response is 10 times greater than traditional business cards. The next day, your circle card stands out from the 50 rectangle business cards.
We offer these at 6 up, on each print run.You can have 1 name or 6 names, or 3 names at 2 up, etc. We offer our entire Tree Free, and 100% PCW covers to you. We can quote 1 color up to 4 color for 1 side or both sides.
The Eco Circles are my most popular item bought as a promotional item. They create the most awareness and they are inexpensive, compared to flyers and brochures. Calenders: Printed on 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Paper. Many sizes available.
Corn Starch Bracelets: We have bracelets that are made from Corn Starch and there are 3 bracelets to a set. You wear all 3 bracelets. The charm is engraved-Go Green. For 1000 sets, you can have your own company initials engraved. This is an inexpensive gift to give @ $3.75 per set. The corn starch bracelets, with the Go Green charm are my most popular gift.
Bookmarks: The standard size is 2 x 8 inches, printed on 100% recycled cover. 4 color/2 sides.
Environments Books: "WHO I AM", an interactive coloring book and "HOW THE LAND OF LITTER BECAME THE KINGDOM OF CLEAN", an educational, kids book are fun promotional items. We reserved the inside covers for your company misson statement or ad. These items are sold for under $5.00 each without the ads on the inside covers.
As you can see, price wise, the Eco Circles, coloring books and bracelets are all under $5 when you buy 100 at a time. If you buy over 1000 of them, the price is low.
And if you have any further questions following our tips, or you have a specific question you want us to address, please email us to info@ecolibris.net.
Founded in 2007, Eco-Libris is a green company working to green up the book industry in the digital age by promoting the adoption of green practices in the book industry, balancing out books by planting trees, and helping to make e-reading greener.
To achieve these goals Eco-Libris is working with book readers, publishers, authors, bookstores and others in the book industry worldwide. So far Eco-Libris balanced out over 179,500 books, which results in more than 200,000 new trees planted with its planting partners in developing countries.
Ever since I saw Gary Vaynerchuk presenting at the BEA last May I follow him (not literary, just on the web..) and I just love reading about his insights creative ideas. His latest one: pick the best wine to go with a new book.
