the oil spill in the gulf of mexico has really illustrated how precious our natural resources are and how important it's become to care for the environment. reducing waste, becoming more energy conscious, and ensuring a sustainable future is something that's really come into play in the world of print design the last several years.
there are several things to consider when becoming environmentally print conscious:
paper solutions
the first is to ensure that your paper is recycled or comes from a forest that is managed properly and sustainable. an organization that keeps tabs on the forest/logging industry is the fsc (forest stewardship council). you can look for papers that have varying levels of certifications from the fsc. they can be 100% certified, created from mixed sources, or recycled. if there's a specific "green paper" or certification you'd like, be sure to tell the designer what you want - you do have a say in the matter. you can also look for apper that's manufactured with alternative energy techniques, such as wind power or bio gas.
a typical misconception about paper is that recycled or "green" paper is less quality. typically it's the opposite. recycled paper capabilities have come a long way since the early 90's. most of them are of very comparable quality to paper that is 100% new. also, most of the recycled and uncoated papers arent treated with chemicals and often have more of an earthy, unique feel to them.
printing solutions
there are also ways that the printing process can be more eco-friendly. printers that use aluminum printing plates, which can be recycled indefinitely are more environmentally friendly, and printers can also use soybean oil-based inks, which are water soluble and friendly to the environment. another way to reduce your carbon emissions (and costs) is to work with a local printer to cut down on transportation.
design solutions
cxreating an overall efficient design is also a good way to conserve, along with printing on both sides of the page, trying to conserve paper in our designs, or even figure out how many business cards to line up on a printer press sheet. it's also important to determine whether there is a need for an actual printed piece. is your company newsletter something that can be just as effective as an email?
being eco-conscious in your printed materials is a great way to show customers your concern about the environment. if you've gone through the effort to print pieces on environmentally friendly ways, by all means, promote it to your customers! if the materials are approved by the fsc, they allow you to use their logo. you can put "recycled" or printed on environmentally friendly materials. you can also encourage people to recycle or reuse your printed materials when they're done with them.
for more information about environmentally-friendly design and printing, give us a call. you can also check out the forest stewardship council website.
