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What is green printing really all about?
When we think of ‘green printing’, the terms ‘recycling’, FSC certification and ‘soy inks’ come to mind, right? But is that all? Are these things really enough? Did you know that one ton of waste paper still uses up to four trees, 18,000 BTUs of energy, produces up to two tons of solid waste, and generates thousands of gallons of polluted waste water? What about FSC? Certainly FSC is an important determinant, and diverting pulp production from old forests and irresponsibly managed forests is crucial, but at which point will we begin to tip the balance between FSC paper production and FSC forestry growth in the negative direction. What about soy inks? Well, soy inks have been used by offset printers for years, but are they really beneficial to flexographic printers for use on labels / stickers, tags, and packaging – no! The point is, print buyers, eco-marketers, brand owners, designers, and printers have gotten lazy in general. It’s so easy to say, “Green, oh, we’re using recycled paper, and by the way … please recycle that packaging when you’re done with it.” We focus on “recycling” and recycling because it’s easy, cheap and everyone understands it (well, kind of … but it’s a different article / post!). I would like to see brand owners, printers and consumers focusing on the “environmental issues” that will matter most in the future, sustainability (sourcing print and packaging from more abundant, renewable resources) and carbon footprint.
Sustainable paper options versus traditional wood pulp papers
Woodfree papers made from rotting plant waste such as bananas, papayas and coconut trees, bamboo, and bagasse are an option here. There are several companies that have spent decades producing woodfree papers, and although the labeling / packaging capacity of these papers is limited, they have successfully replaced wood pulp papers in some cases. Take a look at one sustainable option from Pure Labels and check out the Label Impressions, Inc. website for more options for durable, wood-free label papers that are efficient. Stone paper (rock paper) made of natural chalk (calcium carbonate), renewable (yes renewable – expect objection / comments on this) and abundant raw material is one of the highly efficient options for eco-friendly printing and packaging materials with a unique history of sustainability. FiberStone (TM) woodfree paper from Natural Source Printing, Inc. is the more popular high-performance paper in this category and is used in a wide variety of printing and packaging projects, from woodfree gift bags / tote bags to folded printed cartons, waterproof maps, books, brochures, annual reports and green labels.
Carbon footprint – “What exactly is needed to produce and deliver ‘green’ / recycled paper?
In this author’s opinion, this is the “real” problem that printers, print buyers, marketers and “green” consumers must deal with. When the people at Natural Source Printing started sourcing green paper options, they took a close look at the carbon footprint (which is why FiberStone rock paper became one of the Natural Source recommended products). By using recycling (post-consumer waste) of paper we are certainly preserving our most important resource for carbon storage, but at what point does our forest’s carbon storage capacity not keep pace with our carbon production activity? Surely shipping from abroad increases our carbon footprint, though not as much as you might think- email me for details on overseas carbon footprint statistics) but the real culprit is pulp production and recycled fiber processing. four trees are used and up to 22,000 BTU. This massive consumption contributes to the emission of enormous amounts of Co2 into our atmosphere. You can see how you can and should argue for low-c arbon footprint materials (lower energy consumption) compared to recycled papers for printing and packaging.
What can I do??
So what’s next? As a green consumer, print buyer, marketing manager, director of sustainability or green printer, what should I do to help create awareness about the other two sides of the “green” story? You can start by educating yourself, your employer / company, your clients, friends and family about other threats to a cleaner planet – carbon emissions and the depletion of non-renewable natural resources. You can choose not to “buy” the simplified mantra “recycle, reuse, restore” and dig deeper! You can take responsibility by educating yourself and others about these fears and options to help counter them. . Shouting “Go Green” is not enough people – copy deeper, learn … and teach!
* Note- Jeff Salisbury (that’s me) is the president of Label Impressions, Inc. and for the past eighteen months he has been working with Natural Source Printing, Inc. on the development of FiberStone ™ label paper. While I would certainly appreciate visiting our websites and using one or both of the companies for green labeling and packaging, this article is primarily intended to raise awareness of “other” environmental issues. I just got tired of listening and watching everywhere “Printed on Recycled Paper” and decided it was time for a “call to action”! Thanks for listening and commenting! You can contact me directly at: jeff@labelimpressions.com
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Source by Jeff Salisbury