Will the new collaboration between Google and On Demand Books green up the book industry?

We've got interesting news today - Google signed an agreement with On Demand Books, making its over two million public domain titles available directly to consumers.

The joint press release of On Demand Books and Google explains that Google has agreed to provide On Demand Books (ODB), the maker of the Espresso Book Machine, with immediate access to over two million public-domain titles in the Google digital files.

If you haven't heard yet about these machines, the Espresso Book Machine is a small, patented high-speed automated book-making machine. In about four minutes it can print, bind and trim a 300-page paperback book complete with a full-color paperback cover. Its price as Tom Krazit reports on CNET News ranges from $75,000 to $97,000, depending on the configuration.

Currently you can find the Espresso Book Machines in bookstores, libraries and trade and campus bookstores such as the University of Michigan Shapiro Library Building in Ann Arbor, MI, the Blackwell Bookshop in London, UK, the Bibliotheca Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt and the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, VT (you can find a full list of the EBM locations here). Wired adds that On Demand Books hopes to sell 60 more printers in the next year, bringing the number of machines globally to about 90.

So our question is of course, is it environmentally friendly?

Let's look first at the FAQ part of On Demand Book's website that is referring to the question Is the EBM an environmentally friendly technology?

Yes. Producing books at point of sale saves tons of CO2 emissions and eliminates returns and the pulping of unwanted books. According to the OECD’s 2008 publication Sustainable Development, “Print-on-demand [the technology used by the EBM and EspressNet] uses an electronic file to produce the book in the country where it is sold, in the exact quantities needed. There is no need to transport the book from one central location, print too many copies ‘just in case,’ or store copies waiting to be sold (or destroyed).” According to a 2007 survey by the Book Industry Study Group and Green Press Initiative, the book sector emits an average of 8.8 pounds (almost 4 kg) of carbon per book produced.

They're definitely right in terms in terms of waste and transportation. As the report they quote is explaining the current model is wasteful - about 1 billion books that were printed in 2006 (or about 25% of the total printed books) weren't sold and then either returned for pulping or reach landfills. At the same time, this report is also emphasizing the fact that paper is responsible for most of the carbon footprint of books (over 60%).

So it means that even though the Espresso Book Machines can save carbon emissions as it provides Print On Demand services on spot at bookstores and libraries, it can generate a significant breakthrough if it will be using recycled paper. Wired reported that On Demand Books suggests that book stores price the books at about $8, leaving retailers with a $3 profit after both Google and On Demand Books collect a buck-a-book fee. I'm quite positive that using recycled paper instead of virgin paper won't increase the price significantly.

Actually it can be done even without raising the price at all - here's an idea: Google, according to Wired, plans to donate its share to a yet-unspecified charity - how about using it to cover any extra cost required for using recycled paper? this way everyone is winning - Google is helping an important cause, readers get to print books on recycled paper at the same price and On Demand Books is making an important step towards making books more sustainable by significantly reducing their carbon footprint.

What do you think? I'll be happy to hear your thoughts about it.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable reading!

ForestEthics is fighting the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification

Two weeks ago we reported here on a new report released by ForestEthics and Dogwood Alliance.

The report, entitled "Green Grades 2009" looked at and grades the paper sourcing policies of 12 office retail, general retail and wholesale/distribution companies. The report didn't try to hide the authors opinion on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) saying:

"Still, there is much work to be done. Some of the companies do not have meaningful paper policies, are sourcing large amounts of paper from controversial sources, and are perpetuating the greenwashing of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and other industry-driven “certification” schemes. And since most companies still have at least some Endangered Forest fiber somewhere in their supply chain, consumers should buy Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and recycled content paper regardless of where they shop."

Now, according to the New York Times, ForestEthics is moving forward to challenge the credibility of the S.F.I. certification in court.

Mireya Navarro reports on the NYT ("Environmental Groups Spar Over Certifications of Wood and Paper Products") about the growing debate on the validity of the the SFI certification. According to the article, the accusations against the SFI certification program are of "lax standards and deceptive marketing intended to obscure the standards and the S.F.I.’s financial ties to the forest industry."

This move might be connected with the fact that the United States Green Building Council, which rates buildings as environmentally sustainable under its so-called LEED system, will begin accepting other types of certified wood next year, as it has proposed to do pending a vote by its membership. This move can harm the demand for FSC-certified products, as this certification is much tougher than the SFI certification.

The fact that the FSC certification has more rigorous standards is not accidental. The main claim against the SFI certification is that the forest industry created a green certification system to promote their sales, as Peter Goldman, director of the Washington Forest Law Center in Seattle, the legal firm that filed the complaints explains in the article. Therefore it makes sense it will be less demanding from the industry than the FSC certification, which is more independent (although we have to mention that it includes forest industry representatives on its board).

So who's right? the lawyers of ForestEthics who claim that the SFI certification S.F.I. has confused the marketplace or SFI whose spokesman said that the certification program was sound and that it had met all legal requirements as a nonprofit?

I have to say it's impossible to demand from consumers, as well as printers and publishers, to judge this dispute. What we can say for sure is that the fact that is indisputable is that FSC certification is considered as the best practice standard for forest management. Therefore, I believe printers, publishers and customers shouldn't compromise on less than that no matter if it's lumber, furniture, or virgin paper they're considering buying.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable reading!

Green printing tip no. 15: Are PDF files the best fit for every document?

Today we have another tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, which we publish in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today we are talking about a question that keeps popping up as we see more and more printing jobs transfer into digital format. Greg is discussing this trend and offering a way to combine both formats together in a way that is effective from a marketing point of view and of course is environmentally friendly.

Are PDF files the best fit for every document?

Tip #15

I see an enormous change in the way the printing business is going, with more and more print documents being offered online, as a PDF. I start to think of my fellow printers and how this will affect them.

One of the plants I partner with has lost millions of dollars in annual report printing. Just a small portion are printed and the balance are emailed to the stockholders.

PDF files are by nature more environmental as they're saving paper, ink, etc. But the question is: Are PDF files the best fit for every document?

There are some cases where I like the hard copy, and where I see an advantage for using both mediums. Take, for example my last tip on producing Green Directories.

Avi Publishing prints 100,000 digest size Directories for NYC and 100,000 for 3 other cities, called "OUR GREEN BOOK". I think the size of "Our Green Book" is perfect for a woman's purse or even a man's back pocket. If the directory was larger, I think people would not take it with them. AND, they have an electronic version that you can read online at their website, and print off your computer.

Will this eliminate the printed copy? No. Both styles will be utilized. The PDF will create the interest in the book, and will inspire the reader to pick it up at Whole Foods or Green Apple Cleaners. So, I see a definite plus for both print and electronic media.

Annual reports might be a better fit for online distribution . Many people don't read their annual reports sent in the mail. Maybe, they will spot and read them when they receive their PDF via email.

I think that ad agencies will probably use both mediums. My firm is now offering email blasts, and variable 1 to 1 marketing to keep up with the times, and, really, to survive.

If our clients want to email their message, then we want to do their prepress. We also want to do the marketing to follow that includes the printing of postcards, brochures, and other print projects, that become part of the overall package.

1 to 1 marketing gathers data on prospective clients, and emailed sales programs reach out to these prospective new clients, but when these people respond to a website we have set up, we immediately print postcards and flyers and brochures, with their name printed everywhere, and pictures of cars, jewelry, sports equipment, etc that we know they are interested in, from the up front email blast, and that does increase our print production.

By the way, we send these items out environmentally. And of course I encourage 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper and environmental inks, and Green E energy, and FSC produced.

So, change with the times or you will be swallowed up. Use both mediums.

If you have any questions, please contact Greg Barber at greg@ecofriendlyprinter.com.

You can also email us requests for future tips to info@ecolibris.net.

Links to the last three green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #14 - Can Directories be Green?

Green Printing Tip #13 - Are you looking for back to school environmental ideas?

Green Printing Tip #12 - How to preapre files for your next green digital run?

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.ecofriendlyprinter.com.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing

Happy birthday to Aaspirations Publishing!

Congrats to our partner Aaspirations Publishing that is celebrating its fourth anniversary today!

Aaspirations Publishing is a green publisher of Toronto, Canada that is collaborating with Eco-Libris to plant a treefor every children’s’ picture book they print. We planted so far thousands of trees for great books such as "The Micro Meanies" by Lynda Anderson and "Where the Buttercups Grow" by Shelley Meyer.

Aaspirations Publishing is celebrating its 4th anniversary with the success of the Canadian Bestseller, The Last Six Minutes by Sandra Martins -Toner and a line up of great books by their talented authors and illustrators; as well as a possible movie in the offing.

Coming soon, their mag-a-log for kids, called My Book and much more great stuff as they team up to bring the pleasure of reading books and more, to customers around the world.

So happy birthday Aaspirations Publishing! We wish them many more years of great success, with many more interesting new books and of course many more trees to be planted on their behalf.


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green books!

Updates and pictures from AIR's tree planting operations in Guatemala

We just got an update from our planting partner AIR on their work in Guatemala that we wanted to share with you.

The director of AIR, Dr. Anne Hallum and a group of volunteers managed to plant over 1,500 in just 3 weeks of work in Guatemala. Not only that, but they also built four of the fuel-efficient stoves, which conserve a ton of firewood a year, each. AIR has built so far around 750 such stoves - so they preserve existing trees, while planting!

But that's not all - The more impressive figure is that the AIR staff in Guatemala planted over 207,000 trees this year with a survival rate in the 90% range!

Kudos to AIR for the great job they do in Guatemala. Their commitment to the environment and the local communities is incredible and we're very proud to collaborate with them and be part of their efforts to make a difference to the people of Guatemala.

If you want to read more about their work, you can visit their website and also read the first year's assessment of our collaboration. In couple of months we'll publish the second year's assessment with updates on our joint work with AIR on 2008-2009.

We're also happy to show you some of the pictures we got from AIR taken on the last visit of Dr. Hallum and the volunteers in Guatemala.

Dr. Anne Hallum, her daughter Rachel and Dona Elena and her granddaughter at the tree Eco-Libris nursery in Itzapa.... still growing strong with a new crop of seedlings!

Rachel Hallum and helper planting Aliso trees to fertilize family crop, in El Tablon.

Volunteers and AIR staff planting trees on Comalapa mountain side he's converting back to forest.

Don Enrique, with AIR staffer, Luis Iquique in the foreground, showing the group the reforested mountain slopes of trees from the Eco-Libris tree nursery in Caliaj (In the background you can seem remnants of a mudslide from a deforested slope. Don Enrique has planted all the way down the steep slope, to prevent such mudslides).


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Green book review (and giveaway): Living Green: The Missing Manual

Did you ever feel like you could use a good manual that will guide you on how to live green? If you do, today this missing manual is right here on our weekly series of green books reviews.

Our book this week is:

Living Green: The Missing Manual

Author: Nancy Conner

Nancy Conner holds a Ph.D. from Brown University and is the author of numerous books, including QuickBase: The Missing Manual and Google Apps: The Missing Manual. She lives in Ithaca, NY, recently named one of the greenest U.S. cities, where she shops for organic produce at the local farmers market and browses second-hand stores. Each day, she commutes up the stairs to her home office, where she works as an author, editor, and distance educator. Read Nancy's Living Green blog at www.missingmanuals.com. You can also find her on twitter.

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Published on: August 2009

What this book is about? (from the publisher's website)
Taking care of the earth is more important than ever, but the problems we're facing can seem overwhelming. Living Green: The Missing Manual helps make earth-friendly decisions more manageable by narrowing them down to a few simple choices. This all-in-one resource is packed with practical advice on ways you can help the environment by making simple changes in your home routine, work habits, and the way you shop and get around town. You don't have to embark on a radical new lifestyle to make a difference. Living Green: The Missing Manual shows you how small changes can have a big impact. With this book, you will:

• Learn how to make your home energy efficient and free of toxic chemicals
• Discover how to reduce waste, repurpose and recycle, and do more with less
• Build and remodel earth-friendly homes with new techniques and materials
• Learn tips for buying organic food and what it takes to grow your own
• Get helpful information on fuel-efficient cars, including hybrid and electric models
• Make your workplace greener and more cost-effective -- from changes at your desk to suggestions for company-wide policies
• Explore how to choose renewable energies, such as wind and solar power

The book also provides you with ways to connect with like-minded people and offers a survey of exciting new green technologies. Learn how you can help the planet with Living Green: The Missing Manual.

What we think about it?

At the beginning of the book the author explains what you can expect to find in it and how it fits in your green reality:

Ever since Rachel Carson's 1962 book Silent Spring sounded the alarm about the effects of pesticides on the environment, countless books have been published that show how human behavior is taking a toll on the planet. Taken together, they present a convincing argument. But even if you want to start living a healthier, more environmentally responsible lifestyle, where do you begin?

That's where Living Green: The Missing Manual comes in. Although this book gives you plenty of reasons to think about your impact on the planet, its real focus is practical suggestions for making your impact a positive one. These pages are packed with tips, ideas, and instructions for greening in all areas of your life: at home, on the road, at work, at the grocery store, and beyond.

This description is very correct. The book, like a manual, is very practical, covering many green issues, but unlike manuals it also takes the time to explain you the "why" and not only the "how".

The book is filled with tips, some of them may look a bit more obvious like "Label your recycling bins so there's no confusion about what goes there", but many are very valuable - for example: "if you ship a lot of items, don't buy foam packing peanuts. Instead , try Puffy Stuff (http://pufftystufftn.com), an all-natural, plant-based packaging material that's 100% biodegradable".

The fact that the book is covering many green issues is its main strength and weakness at the same time. It's great to have so many issues covered in one book, including your home, energy, food, shopping, transportation, workplace and so on. It really covers almost every main activity that we can think of in green terms. It will provide you with the good information and tips, but at the same time it won't be as thorough as guides that are only focused on one issue like renewable energy at home or food.

Last but not least, kudos to publisher, O'Reilly Media, on printing the book on Rolland Enviro 100 Book, which contains 100% post consumer fibers and is manufactured in Canada by Cascades using biogas energy, and also for making it available online through the O'Reilly Network Safari Bookshelf. You can check it out there and although you might find it's less convenient to scroll the book online, it will be much easier to use all the great links the book includes.

Bottom line: Just like the book is saying - if you're looking for a manual that will help you to know where and how to begin your green journey, you will definitely find this book very useful.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!

We're giving away our review copy of the book, courtesy of the publisher, and of course a tree will be planted for the copy!

How you can win? Please add a comment below with an answer the following question: How did your green journey begin? What was the first green step you took? Submissions are accepted until Monday, September 21, 12PM EST. The winner will be announced the following day.

If you're looking for other interesting green-themed books, you are invited to check out our green books page on Eco-Libris website's green resources section.


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!

Vote for BookSwim on Forbes.com's startup competition!

Forbes.com is running the second round of the 2009 Boost Your Business competition. On the line: $50,000 in cash, and $50,000 in advertising on Forbes.com. 20 semi-finalists remain and among them are our partners and friends at BookSwim.

BookSwim rents books like Netflix rents movies, with the convenience of free home delivery and best-sellers guaranteed in stock. As you may remember we collaborate with them in their special offering of gift cards - a tree will be planted with Eco-Libris in honor of every gift purchased.

You can read more about BookSwim on Forbes.com, where you can find their 500-word write-up and watch their 30-second "elevator pitch" video. You can also read what they intend to do with the prize once they get it.

BookSwim is a great green business and we warmly recommend to vote for them!

The vote itself is very simple and can be made at http://boost09.perfectprize.com/voting/. Please don't forget to confirm the link that gets sent to your email otherwise your vote won't count. Make sure you uncheck any boxes so you don't get spam.

VOTING ENDS SEPT 30!

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable reading!