As you know magazines, just like books, have their own environmental issues and there's now a greater exploration of ways to reduce their carbon footprint, from using sustainable paper alternatives to eliminating the paper at all by moving to e-publishing. One of the examples for the former is Poets & Writers Magazine, an award-winning bimonthly published by the nonprofit organization Poets & Writers, Inc., which decided to use recycled paper.
In the 3-minute video below Suzanne Pettypiece, Managing Editor of Poets & Writers Magazine, shares how her magazine transitioned to a body stock that contains a minimum of 90% recycled content with 30% postconsumer content and a 10% postconsumer recycled cover stock that is FSC certified, choices that set it apart from other periodicals, over 97% of which still use virgin paper.
Before switching to environmentally friendly paper in 2008, Pettypiece was concerned, like many publishers, about quality. However, she notes that, since switching, "We haven't had any complaints from advertisers, photographers, or readers. It's a beautiful product."
For Poets & Writers Magazine, the move to recycled paper set in motion a larger commitment to sustainable business practices. Now staff members pitch in to do small things that have a larger impact, from creating a better recycling system to re-using office supplies and cutting down on waste.
Here's an innovative green idea (thanks for Grist! for sharing it): Texas Tech researchers are testing a new type of building block from Mason Greenstar. The new material called Blox are marketed as an energy efficient and environmentally friendly building material. The blox are made partially from recycled shredded Texas Lottery tickets and shredded phone books.
How cool is that? Students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech are conducting the research and you can further learn about their work in this video:
We are back today with a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer. Today Greg is talking about an important issue - greenwashing. To get an idea how common this issue is just take a look at the report 'Seven Sins of Greenwashing', which found that 98% of products reviewed on this study committed at least one of the sins of greenwashing!
How Do I Avoid Greenwashing?
Tip #45
It is important that we use the definition of recycled paper and the definition of processed chlorine free bleaching, and apply these definitions when avoiding Greenwashing.
When you see an advertisement for the most environmental printing for business cards and postcards that features FSC and soy inks, it is the right time to ask a few questions.
Your first question to the printer should be, " How much Post-Consumer Waste is in the paper used for my job?"
The second question should be, "How is the paper bleached?"
I will take a good guess at the responses to those two questions - Our paper is FSC certified and is Elementally Chlorine Free (ECF), or our paper is 10% Post-Consumer waste recycled and the bleaching is Chlorine Free.
Now we go back to the definitions. Recycled paper must contain 30% PCW if the paper is uncoated and 10% PCW, if the paper is a coated grade. The 10% PCW response would make the paper a recycled sheet.
In regards to the bleaching question, ECF sounds good, but is not good. ECF uses Chlorine Dioxide and will cause Dioxins to be created, when mixed with other chemicals.
In either response that I guessed at, there is too much emphasis on FSC and ECF is fooling the public. It sounds good, but it uses Chlorine.
To be more environmental, I suggest using 100% PCW paper and 100% Processed Chlorine Free bleaching. PCF only occurs when you use 100% PCW paper. Otherwise, it will be ECF bleaching.
FSC is a good organization, but easy to manipulate to appear Greener than you really are.
Next week, I will review how to save money on your next environmental printing job.
We are back today with a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer. Today Greg is beginning to review some of the most important lessons we've learned in the last 43 weeks, starting with the definitions of recycled paper and Processed Chlorine Free.
What are the most important points of green printing?
Tip #44
We have now posted 43 Green Printing Tips. I don't expect any of you to remember all the tips and I think it is now a good time to review the most important points.
For the next several weeks, I will do a quick review for you. If I was making a speech, I usually ask the audience, " What is The Definition of Recycled Paper?". I also ask "What does Processed Chlorine Free mean"?
I have never gotten the correct definition from more than 1 or 2 people. It is hard to make the correct environmental printing decisions, if you are not absolutely clear on these definitions.
Recycled Paper must have 30% Post-Consumer Waste in the new paper, for uncoated paper and 10% PCW for coated paper. When I started in 1990, no one even knew about PCW. Only California required 10% Post-Consumer Waste to be considered recycled Paper.
Coated Recycled Paper gets the 20% reduction, since 40% of the paper in coated contains clay. That means, only 60% of the paper is fiber. So, the USEPA allows less PCW to be a recycled paper in gloss or dull coated papers.
Processed Chlorine Free means the paper is bleached with Oxygen or Hydrogen Peroxide and not Chlorine. Paper bleached with Chlorine will create Dioxins. Dioxin can poison us all.
So in today's review, recycled paper must contain 30% PCW for uncoated and 10% PCW for coated paper, and try to use Processed Chlorine Free paper.
We are back today with a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer. Today Greg is talking about a paper that was used to print the first book made on a printing press - The Gutenberg bible. Is Tree Free Hemp Paper still available?
Tip #32
Yes. We used to carry a Hemp Blend a few years back, made by the Crane Paper Mill. That line was discontinued and we now have a Hemp Line again.
Recently, my firm brought Hemp Paper into stock in two cover weights and 1 text weight. We feature 110# cover for making business cards and postcards and for invitation printing.
Hemp comes in a natural cream color, and has specs in the paper, making it look recycled as well as tree free. Hemp is mixed with Post-Consumer Waste and is tree free, or void of tree fiber.
We also have matching envelopes in 4.375 x 5.5 (A-2), 4.75 x 6.5 (A-6), and 5.25 x 7.25 (A-7) invitation sizes. We also have envelopes in a #10 size to accomodate letterheads. The color of the Hemp paper is a natural light brown color.
And the price? The hemp paper is 50% higher than our 100% PCW lines, but it's still affordable. For example: $60 for 500 business cards versus $90 for Hemp business cards.
We also are carrying Tree Free papers in Bamboo, Sugar Cane, Lemon, Mango, Coffee, and Banana. Like the Hemp, these plants are mixed with Post-Comsumer waste to make the new paper.
Finally, here's another interesting fact about hemp and hemp paper: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp and Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.
For additional information on hemp paper, please call Greg Barber at (973) 224-1132, or email greg@gregbarberco.com.
Also, if you have any questions you would like us to address in future tips please email us to info@ecolibris.net.
Last September we reported that On Demand Books, the maker of the Espresso Book Machine, signed an agreement with Google, making its over two million public domain titles available directly to consumers. On Thursday On Demand Books announced on a new strategic partnership - this time with Xerox.
According to the press release, "Xerox and On Demand Books will jointly market and sell, on a worldwide basis, the Xerox 4112™ Copier/Printer together with the Espresso Book Machine – a fully integrated solution that prints, binds and trims books with full color covers on demand in retail locations and libraries. The Espresso Book Machine can produce paperbacks in variable combinations of trim sizes between 4.5" x 5.0" and 8.25" x 10.5" for a production cost less than one cent per page."
What does it mean that the Espresso Book Machine (EBM) will be sold from now on with the Xerox 4112 Copier/Printer? Well, firstly, it's about offering a faster and better performance - With the Xerox 4112, the Espresso Book Machine produces a 300-page book in less than four minutes and has the capacity to print more than 40,000 paperback books per year.
But there's more as Judith Rosen points out on PW: "By partnering with Xerox, On Demand will have access to a sales force for the first time and will make joint sales calls with Xerox, which will forward leads."
This partnership is a natural fit for On Demand Books, as the CEO, Dane Neller, explains on the press release “Their solutions, industry leadership, innovative printing technology and worldwide sales and marketing footprint will help us reach our goal – providing book enthusiasts fast and affordable access to millions of digital titles in multiple languages.”
We hope Xerox will contribute not only to the speed of the EBM, but also to further green it up. The EBM has a potential to become a true green alternative as it has a smaller footprint in comparison with the regular printing and distribution system. But there's still the issue of the paper and the challenge is of course to move from virgin paper to recycled paper to further reduce its footprint. We hope Xerox, which has a very good reputation when it comes to integrating sustainability into business, will help EBM to meet this challenge.
Xerox publishing v-p John Conley is quoted on PW saying that "..we have many, many skills that can make them more robust as you set a goal for worldwide capability. We think we can help make this incredibly significant. We like what it can do for the book distribution model.” He's definitely right and we hope Xerox will also use its skills and power to make the EBM not only a model of a better book distribution model, but also a model of a sustainable book production system.
We updated you last month about our new campaign, entitled "It's Time for a Green Book": 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews.
As we mentioned the idea is to have 100 bloggers, who review books on regular basis, simultaneously publish on Tuesday, November 10 2009, their book review of a "green book" of their choice. We want to use the power of the internet and social media to promote "green" books and increase the awareness of both publishers and readers to the way books can be printed responsibly and sustainably.
We have great green books that take part in the campaign and we still have some that are available and are waiting for a blogger that will take them home for review such as:
As part of our efforts to promote green books, i.e. books that are printed using recycled and FSC certified paper, we're initiating a special project called "It's Time for a Green Book": 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews.
If you're a publisher or an author that have books that would be a good fit for this campaign, we would like to invite you to participate in it and get your "green" books reviewed.
If you a blogger and you review books on your blog from time to time, then we would like to join this campaign and review a "green" book on your blog.
The idea is to have 100 bloggers, who review books on regular basis, simultaneously publish on Tuesday, November 10 2009, their book review of a "green book" of their choice. We want to use the power of the internet and social media to promote "green" books and increase the awareness of both publishers and readers to the way books can be printed responsibly and sustainably. We hope the magnitude of this initiative will help grab readers, publishers and others' attention and get them to think about and discuss the future of books and how the "green" factor should be part of it.
How we do it? We're preparing now a list of at least 100 books that are meeting the "green" criteria (recycled or FSC-certified paper), with preference for newer books to the participating bloggers, who will be able to choose then the book they want to review (on first come first served basis). Then, we would ask the publishers to send them a review copy accordingly. Bloggers will publish simultaneously their book review on Tuesday, November 10, exactly at 1:00 PM EST.
What are the benefits for publishers/authors? This is not only a great opportunity to promote new books printed in an environmentally sound manner and make their "greenness" more recognizable, but also an opportunity for publishers to get further recognition and appreciation of readers for their commitment to the environment and to green publishing.
If you want to participate or you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me at raz@ecolibris.net.
We have another tip for you on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.
Today Greg is discussing a question that is especially relevant for those of us who have printing job to do in the last minute, but still want to do it in an environmentally sound manner.
Can green printing be done on a rush basis?
Tip #16 Let's say you you have an urgent printing job to do and you need it ready in 24 or 48 hours. Can you still print it sustainably?
In one word: Yes! A green printer should not be any different from a regular printer and should be capable of providing you all the necessary green services even in the last minute.
Just this week, we did several rush jobs for Tony Blair and the Climate Group, for climate week in New York. We printed a 32 page brochure and a double gate fold brochure, postcards and posters. The jobs were done on time and the quality was superb, as per their group.
We used 100% Post-Consumer Waste 65# for the 32 page, self cover Programs, and for the double gate brochures , we used 100% post-consumer waste in 100# text, for the double gate fold brochures. The postcards were printed on 100# cover, in 100% post-consumer waste. All three projects are 100% Processed Chlorine Free. Here are couple of our capabilities which are available even in the last minute:
1. You can use Recycled or Tree Free Paper in Stock We stock 100% post-consumer waste, recycled paper. We also can get many Tree Free papers in a rush.
2. Ability to Accept Large Files to expedite the process Our system allows you to email us up to 100 Meg files. You just click our upload buttons and your files are attached.
3. Correct Presses Digital presses move the fastest. We have both Igen and Indigo equipment.
In such last minute situations, it's not only us who need to work quickly and efficiently. You should be ready to do the same. Here are some tips that will help us to make it in time:
1. File Preparation Like any rush job, it is preferable to save your files as a hi res PDF. Also, check to make sure your files have bleed, if needed. Don't impose your files. Our software does that to our preferred layout.
2. Be Ready to OK the (soft) proofs If not, you lose valuable time. Let us know who else can ok your work. If you have any further questions for Greg, you can email to greg@ecofriendlyprinter.com. If you have any questions you would like us to address in future tips please email us to info@ecolibris.net.
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.
This week our series of green printing tips is getting back to its original spot which is Tuesday. Yes, every Tuesday we bring you a new green printing tip in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.
Today we are talking about an interesting question that concerns something many of us automatically considered as junk mail, but at the same time is an important commercial tool.
Can Directories be Green? Tip #14
Can your directories be considered green? That's a tough question especially when so many directories, such as phonebooks, are considered junk mail (did you know every year in the US, households receive 540 million unsolicited phonebooks creating an additional 650,000 tons of trash?).
But the answer is Yes. It can be and we'll provide you some ground rules to follow to keep your directory green, with a specific example from Avi Publishing, publishers of "Our Green Book", a directory of local green businesses and green organizations.
Rule no. 1: provide your directories only to people who want them One of the main problems with directories is that they're unsolicited advertising brought to your door, with no easy way to decline. You want to make it green - give it only to people who are actually interested in getting them.
"Our Green Book" is an example how you can do it - this directory is handed out at Whole Foods and Green Apple Cleaners to people who want them. That's it.
Rule no. 2: Use recycled and FSC-certified paper Many directories are printed on non recycled stocks, which enhance their environmental impact. You should make sure you choose eco-friendly paper that will minimize your footprint. Avi Publishing for example, chose a recycled coated grade that is FSC certified, and contains PCW content. Also, the inks used for the directory's printing are vegetable based, and there are no chemicals used in setting up the press for printing.
Rule no. 3: Print close to distribution points "Our Green Book" is printed at the Quad plants closest to the distribution points, so their Carbon Footprint is minimized. The Chicago and NY editions are printed in NY, and the San Francisco and Los Angeles editions are printed in Reno, Neveda.
Rule no. 4: Optimize the directory's size You should optimize the directory's size to prevent unnecessary waste. The size of "Our Green Book" was chosen to yield little paper waste. It is a digest size.
Rule no. 5: Provide an online option There are people and businesses who might be interested in your directory, but still prefer an online version of printed one, and you should be able to provide them with this option. Here's one example from Avi Publishing and another one from the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN), which are making their members directory (which includes Eco-Libris who are a member) available online.
So the answer to the question is Yes. Just follow these rules.
If you have any questions about "Our Green Book" , please contact Greg at greg@ecofriendlyprinter.com .
Also, 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.
Good new from Scholastic - the global children's publishing, education and media company announced that significant progress has been made toward the company-wide sustainable goals!
Scholastic announced in January 2008 the following goals for 2012: to increase its purchase of FSC-certified paper for its publications to 30% and its use of recycled paper to 25%, of which 75% would be post-consumer waste.
Their progress toward these goals is impressive as you can learn from the data detailed on their press release (and thanks to Environmental Leader for the link):
FSC-certified paper (goal: 30% of all paper purchasing)
In 2008, Scholastic purchased 89,378 tons of paper of which 17,608 tons, or 19.7%, was FSC-certified, up from 4% in 2007.
Recycled paper (goal: 25%, of which 75% would be post-consumer waste)
In 2008 13,496 tons, or 15.1%, of the paper purchased was produced from recovered fiber, up from 13% in 2007, and of that amount, 11,258 tons, or 83%, was produced from PCW fiber, up from 77% in 2007.
In other words they're already made two thirds of the way toward their goal and have 3 years to do the remaining third. In other words, they can reach it earlier if they'll continue to move forward so rapidly.
Corey Brinkema, President of FSC-US is quoted in the press release saying "Last year Scholastic made an industry-leading commitment to forest stewardship with its goals for sourcing FSC-certified and recycled paper". Is Scholastic's goals can be considered "an industry-leading commitment"? well, the answer is actually Yes.
Scholastic's mean that more of half of the paper they will use in 2012 will come from sustainable resources (FSC-certified or recycled paper). This is more ambitious than the commitments of other big publishers such as Random House or Simon & Schuster (see more details on their commitments on our book publishing page).
Scholastic's commitment is also similar to the one defined by the Green Press Initiative on their Industry Treatise, which was signed so far by 180 publishers, merchants and mills and include among others the following goals:
Shifting the book industry's collective average use of recycled fiber from an estimated 5% recycled average at present to a 30% recycled industry average by 2012 (a majority to be postconsumer).
Shifting to book industry’s collective average use of paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or equivalent certification system to 20% by 2012.
The only piece of data missing is how much carbon emissions have Scholastic manage to reduce so far. They don't have a goal in terms of carbon reductions but I'm wondering if following the announcement of the Book Industry Environmental Council last April on goals for cutting the U.S. book industry's greenhouse gas emissions in 20% by 2020 (from a 2006 baseline) with the intent of achieving an 80% reduction by 2050, Scholastic will add it to their set of goals. In all, it looks like they're in a good position to meet and even exceed this goal.
So kudos to Scholastic for their ongoing efforts and achiements and we hope to see many more of the big publishers following suit.
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:
New report has been released with an interesting title - Printing Continues to Go Green. But looking at some of the report's findings makes you wonder if this is really so.
This 68-page report, according to the publisher WhatTheyThink, "provides an overview of the state of green printing initiatives in the U.S. commercial printing industry. The report, an update to a special primer report first published in April 2008, provides the results of a June 2009 survey of commercial printing establishments conducted by WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center".
So far so good, but let's look at couple of the findings the publisher highlights on its website:
— in a June 2009 survey conducted by WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center, the top green practice that U.S. commercial printers say they have currently implemented is “identify itself in marketing and sales materials and promotions as an environmentally sensitive business,” cited by 33% of all respondents, up from the 26% who said this in a March 2008 survey;
— 43% of all responding companies said that sustainable printing initiatives are “critically important to only a select few customers,” up from 41% in March 2008;
— 26% of all respondents say they plan to implement some form of certification from an environmentally sustainable printing authority, up from 20% in April 2008;
Now, I have to say first I didn't read the report and I only refer to the information available on the publisher's website, but if these findings are in anyway indication of the other findings of the report then I'm not sure how one can see here any move of the printing industry in the direction of sustainability.
Actually, all three findings are showing the opposite. The first finding shows that most common green practice is to identify to yourself as one in marketing materials. This sounds a little troubling - wouldn't you expect it to be greater usage of FSC or recycled paper?
The second finding shows that more printers say that green printing is important only to a few customers. This is not encouraging as well.
And the last finding here show that more printers plan to implement some kind of "green" certification - but how many actually do it and not just plan to do so? I think the number of printers who already have these certifications can be a better indicator of the state of green printing.
So I'm not sure if these kind of findings justify the title of the report. I only hope the report itself include much more supporting material. In any case, it doesn't mean we don't think the printing industry is going green - we see this trend in the interviews we conduct with printers, conversations with businesses, feedbacks to our green printing tips series and news we read about almost every week.
If you have any feedback please feel free to add your comment. We'll be happy to hear your thoughts!
Time goes so fast. It looks like we started this series of weekly green printing tips yesterday, but actually we're on the tenth week with tip number 10!
And this is also an opportunity to give our partner in this series, Greg Barber a big kudos for his endless efforts to bring you every week another great tip on green printing! Today Greg is answering a question that is relevant for everyone and relates to a little piece of paper we all use - a business card.
Are you buying environmentally sound business cards? Tip #10
That seems like a crazy question to many people who think they are printing environmentally. Now, take your business cards and check them out.
To be environmental, you should be using paper that is high in Post-Consumer Waste. 100% PCW is the best.
You should be using paper that is Processed Chlorine Free. Only 100% PCW paper can be 100% PCF.
The inks should be 100% non toxic toner for digital runs, and soy or vegetable based inks for offset runs. I would like you to use an environmental printing plant. FSC certified is preferable. You could ask if the printing plant is Green E certified. Do they use renewable energy, like Wind Power, or BioGas? Ask the plant to tell you the name of the paper. Not all papers are equal, environmentally.
Need to check with me? Call me at 973 224 1132. If I am busy, you can leave a message. I check emails 24/7.
Now, if you are afraid of the price, don't worry. We have a summer special through the end of September. Here are the details:
QTY: 500 Price: $45 Stock: 100% PCW Bleaching: 100% Processed Chlorine Free Green E: Yes Inks: 100% non toxic toner Paper name: Options PC 100, or Environment PC 100. Timing: 7 days after approved files.
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.
As you know magazines, just like books, have their own environmental issues and there's now a greater exploration of ways to reduce their carbon footprint, from using sustainable paper alternatives to eliminating the paper at all by moving to e-publishing. One of the examples for the former is Poets & Writers Magazine, an award-winning bimonthly published by the nonprofit organization Poets & Writers, Inc., which decided to use recycled paper.
