Going Green

Reports, Papers and Studies

Print for Purpose from Appleton Coated

Appleton Coated’s new publication, Print with Purpose, gives us the messages to deliver to print buyers and designers who are considering “online or off” for their next project.

Print and Online: The Perfect Match

“There is no question that online communication has changed the way the world interacts, stays informed, and purchases products. But experience has shown us that choosing print or online tactics isn’t an “either/or” proposition. In fact, online and print, when used in a coordinated campaign, enhance the delivery of messages and increase marketing results.”

• Consumers receiving a printed catalog are twice as likely to buy online than those consumers who do not receive a catalog.
• 67% of online action is driven by offline messages.
• 86% say shopping is easier when they have a printed catalog.

Get your copy of Print with Purpose and take a look at facts and figures you can use when communicating with your customers.

(Added October 5, 2009)

Down to Earth from International Paper

David Struhs, International Paper’s vice president, Sustainability says, “With the Down to Earth series, we hope to clear up some of the myths and misconceptions about our paper and the forest products industry and provide thought provoking educational pieces that help our customers better understand important environmental topics.” Get your copies of the various publications listed below.

• Pixels vs. Paper: Are pixels greener than paper? Pixels and paper both have a place in our communications future. By linking paper with the efficiency of electronics, we can streamline our communications and help maintain the best environmental balance possible.
• Certification: Where does your paper come from? This report encourages the reader to question the source of the fiber used in their paper.  It stresses the importance of effective forest management and explains what certification is and how multiple certifications lead to improved availability and cost control.
• Recycled vs. Virgin: Is recycled paper the best you can do? Advocates finding a balance as it relates to virgin and recycled content. Noting that more recycled content isn’t always best.  This report highlighting these complementary fibers and the various factors should be considered.
• Carbon Footprint: How big is your carbon footprint? Learn more about “carbon footprints” and what you can do to reduce your own impact through the purchase of products that are manufactured through the use of carbon-neutral fuels, recycling, and energy conservation.
• How Do Certification Labels & Logos Benefit You? Consumers often ask for certified forest products. When they see certification labels and logos on your products, they know you care enough to take action for our forests. Make sure you know the facts regarding certification and which labels you can use on your product. (Link coming soon.)

(Added June 26, 2009)

The Green Outlook 2009

Appleton Coated has put together this handy guide to help you move along the sustainability continuum.

And while you’re making your plans and checking your list, open the booklet to the centerfold where you’ll find “5 possible opening lines to use with your client.”

Each one is intended to break the ice and start the conversation with these different angles: competitive, empirical, urgent, opportunistic, and proactive.

Nothing like a “script” of opening and follow-up lines!

Get more information or your copy here from Appleton Coated, Utopia Paper.

(Added June 22, 2009)

Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products

This 150+ page guide and resource kit – Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products (Ver. 1.1, June 2009) – covers everything you wanted to know about sourcing paper and paper products.

According to the authors, the publication “was created to help procurement managers make informed choices”; specifically it:

• Identifies and explains the central issues around sustainable procurement of wood and paper-based products
• Provides an overview of the key tools, initiatives, programs and labels currently available – a “Guide to the Guides”
• Surveys the maze of slang, jargon and “techno-speak” that often stands in the way of effective understanding and communication.

Broken up into 10 sections, the guide covers the “10 things you should know”:

1. Where do the products come from?
2. Is information about the products credible?
3. Have the products been legally produced?
4. Have forests been sustainably managed?
5. Have special places, including sensitive ecosystems, been protected?
6. Have climate issues been addressed?
7. Have appropriate environmental controls been applied?
8. Has recycled fiber been used appropriately?
9. Have other resources been used appropriately?
10. Have the needs of local communities or indigenous peoples been addressed?

Click here for more information and to get your copy of Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products.

(Added June 10, 2009)

Sustainable Print in a Dynamic Global Market: What Going Green Means

It turns out as a manufacturing process, print is getting greener by the day. Here are a few statistics from a new report; of the more than 200 North American printers surveyed:

• 71% use vegetable inks on press
• 55% are alcohol-free
• 25% use renewable energy or purchase renewable energy credits
• 95% recycle plates
• 95% recycle paper
• 70% recycle ink cans
• 50% recycle shrink wrap
• 41% have a document environmental management plan in place
• 13% measure their carbon footprint
• 68% measure their energy use
• 46% measure VOC emissions
• 67% are FSC-certified
• 60% said certification was worth it

The report (300+ pages) will soon be available from PRIMIR. This study provides an understanding of the global and North American impact of this mandate to embrace sustainable/green business practices through the next three to five years.  More important, the report defines the risks, opportunities and strategies of North American printers and suppliers.  It delves into regulatory, economic, social and environmental drivers.  The report identifies and quantifies best practice strategies to implement successful, sustainable, green practices and provides eight case studies from around the globe.

For more information about PRIMIR or this report, contact Jackie Bland, PRIMIR Managing Director via e-mail at   jbland (at) primir (dot) org or phone: 703/264-7200.

(Added June 3, 2009)

Top 5 Paper Myths Exposed

The more you know about paper, the more you can enhance your design or save money on a project. The more you know, the more creative your solutions will become.

The more you know, the easier and therefore faster you can make your paper decisions. And as we all know in today’s world, every minute counts.

Sabine Lenz, PaperSpecs, searched out the answers to five myths about paper:

• The Mythology of Paper Grades
• Looking at the Bright Side
• The Mill Item Myth
• The Many Faces of Recycled
• The Mystery Solved: ECF, PCF, TCF

(Added May 24, 2009)

• Executive Summary
• New Poll Findings
• Greenwashing: Companies Beware
• False Marketing: A Risky Business
• Leadership in Sustainability
• Eco-Performance Factor
• Forward Momentum: Opportunities for 2008
• Recommendations

About Markets Initiative

Markets Initiative’s role is to shift consumption patterns of industrial paper consumers so that their purchases do not destroy ancient and endangered forests or contribute to climate change. The organization works collaboratively throughout the paper supply chain.

(Added December 4, 2008)

In this report taken from an article that appeared in DMNews, December 2007, survey respondents lay out the steps printers and mailers can take to respond to consumers demands of greener direct mail.

Some of these are:

• Use recycled paper and cardboard products
• Plant trees to offset paper production
• Implement an industry or government “seal of approval” for Green Mail

(Added June 18, 2008)

Innovations Review 2008: Making Green the New Business as Usual - from the Environmental Defense Fund

The state of green business is improving, slowly but surely, as companies both large and small learn the value of integrating environmental thinking into their operations in ways that align with core business strategy and bottom-line goals. Green business has shifted from a movement to a market. But there is much, much more to do.