| People are becoming aware of their personal | | | | has been needed to meet the demand for wood |
| responsibility in making their daily practices more | | | | pulp. By using waste paper to produce new paper |
| environmentally friendly. They're also looking more | | | | disposal problems are reduced. Producing recycled |
| closely at the environmental practices of the | | | | paper involves between 28 - 70% less energy |
| companies with which they do business. It's inevitable | | | | consumption than virgin paper and uses less water. |
| that we must do our part to protect the | | | | This is because most of the energy used in |
| environment, be less polluting, use all of our resources | | | | papermaking is the pulping needed to turn wood into |
| in a more sustainable manner, recycle more, and | | | | paper. Recycled paper produces fewer polluting |
| handle residual wastes in a more acceptable manner; | | | | emissions to air (95% of air pollution) and water. It is |
| resulting in a beneficial environmental impact and | | | | important to use paper with the highest percentages |
| reducing energy and waste costs. You can begin to | | | | possible of recycled and sustainably harvested fibers, |
| reduce your footprint by choosing an eco-conscious | | | | processed without the use of chlorine or chlorine |
| printing company as your partner. | | | | derivatives. Bleaching without chlorine or chlorine |
| There is no such thing as a "GREEN" printer and to | | | | compounds results in a much less polluting paper |
| make the assumption that printing will one day be | | | | making process. Recycled paper is not usually |
| gone is much too ambitious and not a practical | | | | re-bleached and where it is, oxygen rather than |
| thought. There is no single solution to the industry's | | | | chlorine is usually used. This reduces the amount of |
| destructive nature. The best case scenario is to use | | | | dioxins which are released into the environment as a |
| to use an eco-conscious printer. The issue of | | | | by-product of the chlorine bleaching processes. |
| eco-friendly printing stretches far beyond ink and | | | | Paper is a biodegradable material. This means that |
| paper. You must start at the very beginning. A | | | | when it goes to landfill, as it rots, it produces |
| company's internal workflow and day-to-day | | | | methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas (20 |
| workflow is very important. Just as an office uses | | | | times more potent than carbon dioxide). It is |
| paper and ink internally, all the same elements must | | | | becoming increasingly accepted that global warming is |
| be measured and modified to digital systems in order | | | | a reality, and that methane and carbon dioxide |
| to eliminate waste as much as possible. Next comes | | | | emissions have to be reduced to lessen its effects. |
| pre-production, production and post-production. As an | | | | Educate yourself on paper options (hint: Domtar, |
| industry professional there are so many aspects to | | | | Neena Environmental Line, New Leaf, Mohawk, to |
| what we do, from chemicals, air quality, paper, ink, | | | | name a few) encourage your printer to use these |
| petroleum(also used in soy ink, so don't be fooled) | | | | stocks. Most are available to US printers and are |
| and so on.... Everything must be scrutinized, and it will | | | | made for all types of printing. |
| only be as scrutinized as much as the owners care to | | | | Ask your printer about the inks they use, and if they |
| scrutinize. | | | | contain soy or are they low VOC inks. Most of the |
| Being FSC certified does not in and of itself make for | | | | time they will be due to AQMD regulations. The use |
| a best choice of paper or printers. There are printers | | | | of substitute inks can reduce concerns associated |
| that are not FSC that are more environmentally | | | | with the use of conventional petroleum-based and |
| conscious than ones that are FSC. Think of it like | | | | solvent-based inks. Soy and vegetable based inks are |
| being certified organic vs not. In many cases the | | | | widely recognized as the environmentally friendly |
| small non certified organic is a better choice. It is a | | | | choice. But an ink's ingredients are only part of the |
| complex issue that is not soon to be resolved. | | | | story when measuring its environmental impact. Ink, |
| Waterless printing is an offset lithographic printing | | | | like any other product manufactured by humans, |
| process that eliminates the water or dampening | | | | impacts our planet before, during, and after it's |
| system used in conventional printing. It uses a special | | | | manufactured. Choose a printer that adheres to the |
| silicone rubber coated printing plate, special ink, and | | | | standard of using the lowest VOC rated inks |
| typically a means of temperature control on press. | | | | available. Although inks are not always considered the |
| Waterless printing eliminates dampening-related | | | | major source of VOCs in the printing industry, the |
| volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the | | | | decision to use substitute inks is a beneficial part of |
| traditional printing process. Waterless printers have | | | | an overall toxics use reduction program and can help |
| recorded dramatic conservation of our water | | | | reduce the use of hazardous or toxic substances in |
| resources. A printer in Switzerland, operating one of | | | | other materials such as cleaning solutions. |
| the world's first waterless web presses, eliminated | | | | The terminology soy based inks is loosely used. Most |
| the use of approximately 250,000 liters (about | | | | times it is vegetable based. Meaning soy and or corn |
| 66,000 gallons) of water in one year. Because | | | | or other vegetables as well as some other plants. In |
| presses running waterless come up to color and | | | | the 1970s when soy inks were first mainstreamed, in |
| register so much faster, and hold those consistently | | | | order to use the soy logo, you had to have a |
| throughout the press run, paper savings of 30 | | | | minimum of 30% vegetable base. It has been abused |
| percent to 40 percent have been reported. In | | | | and most have as little as 10%. The soy ink issue has |
| addition to saving trees, that also represents a | | | | been a tough issue to tackle. Every ink manufacturer |
| significant manufacturing and paper cost savings. | | | | is different. All of the manufacturers have |
| Waterless press plates are capable of extremely high | | | | implemented the use of soy into their products now |
| screen rulings and, as a result, apply more ink to the | | | | because of the regulations brought forth by the |
| printed piece. This results in a much larger range of | | | | AQMD. There is no 100 percent soy ink to date. In |
| colors in four color process printing. Since the water | | | | addition to the content, quality is always an issue. |
| dampening chemistry is taken away, the printing ink | | | | There are many ways that printers who are truly |
| cannot become emulsified. Thus, cleaner, sharper | | | | eco-friendly offset the ink and paper eco issues in |
| images are made possible. Benefits include: | | | | order to be more environmentally friendly. |
| Consistent Color: Eliminate the vagaries of the | | | | Eco-consciousness is the name of the game. |
| dampening system and you get more consistent | | | | In addition, Recyclable, non-toxic, thermic processed |
| color throughout the press run. | | | | plates, where neither chemical development, nor toxic |
| Better Color Saturation: Four-color process ink | | | | waste disposal are required are an ideal alternative to |
| densities have averaged 20% higher than SWOP | | | | traditional printing plates. The printing technique used |
| standards. A benefit designers and print buyers love. | | | | eliminates chemical waste produced in the dampening |
| Low Dot Gain, More Detail: The inherent low dot gain | | | | systems of traditional printing machines. Waterless |
| of waterless lets you run higher screen rulings for | | | | printing plates offer quick roll-up to color and thereby |
| much better detail. Waterless works well, regardless | | | | reduce set-up (make-ready) paper waste. Chemically |
| of the screen rulings. Even if you run 175 line screens, | | | | tainted waste water from traditional offset printing is |
| you'll print a better product. | | | | also eliminated. |
| More Paper Options: Waterless is great for printing on | | | | In conclusion, there is no perfect solution. However |
| stock you'd normally stay away from with | | | | the effort must be made. It is our job to protect the |
| conventional printing. | | | | world we live in and make these products the norm. |
| Better for the Planet: The reduction in dampening | | | | The point is to get started on the path. Looking at |
| usage and paper waste are strong benefits that are | | | | your printing options not only reduces your footprint, |
| now beginning to make themselves felt among those | | | | but is also affordable. Prices are often comparable if |
| concerned with environmental issues. | | | | not lower than traditional printing costs. |
| As the demand for paper has increased, more timber | | | | |