Everyone is becoming more and more environmentally conscious these days, including many businesses. Though most businesses haven’t eliminated paper use completely, many are taking measures to ensure that their print campaigns and projects have as little impact on the environment as possible. We’ve outlined some questions that you should be asking your printer.
1. Are they EcoLogo, FSC/PEFC/SFI certified?
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.
Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote responsible forest management worldwide.
FSC is a certification system that providesinternationally recognized standard-setting,trademark assurance and accreditationservices to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.
The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.
FSC is nationally represented in more than 50 countries around the world.
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, founded in PEFC is a global umbrella organisation for the assessment of and mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes developed in a multi-stakeholder process. These national schemes build upon the inter-governmental processes for the promotion of sustainable forest management, a series of on-going mechanisms supported by 149 governments in the world covering 85% of the world’s forest area.
PEFC has in its membership 35 independent national forest certification systems of which 25 to date have been through a rigorous assessment process involving public consultation and the use of independent assessors to provide the assessments on which mutual recognition decisions are taken by the membership. These 25 systems account for more than 200 million hectares of certified forests producing millions of tonnes of certified timber to the market place making PEFC the world’s largest certification system. The other national members schemes are at various stages of development and are working towards mutual recognition under the PEFC processes.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
The SFI 2005-2009 Standard promotes sustainable forest management through nine principles, 13 objectives, 34 performance measures and 102 indicators developed by professional foresters, conservationists, scientists and others. The standard addresses key environmental, social and economic forest values – from water quality and biodiversity to harvesting and regeneration.
2. Have they minimized their environmental footprint?
We all leave footprints in the sand, the question is, will we be a big heal, or a great soul.
First off, you may be asking, “What is an environmental footprint?” According to Wikipedia’s definition, “an environmental footprint is a metaphor used to depict the amount of land and water area a human population would hypothetically need to provide the resources required to support itself and to absorb its wastes.”
3. Have they earned any environmental awards?
The Environmental Printing Awards, presented by printing industry magazine PrintAction, ”recognize excellence in Canadian environmental stewardship across the print-based communications supply chain”, which includes vendors and printers as well as print consumers. The program awards companies in a number of categories including, overall company dedication to lessening its impact on the environment; innovation of new environmentally friendly processes, technologies, or usage; community involvement; progressive environmental printing processes and packaging projects; and development of environmentally sound printing projects.
4. Have they conducted a Pollution Prevention (P2) Assessment?
A P2 Assessment is an on-site survey of a company’s operations to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce wastes and pollution. Companies can use P2 Assessments to identify ways to reduce costs associated with waste generation and disposal. OCAPP’s P2 Assessments will challenge your company to optimize the use of resources, minimize non-product related losses, and increase productivity.
5. Where does their energy come from?
Bullfrog Power, Canada’s 100% green electricity provider, offers a 100% clean, renewable electricity choice to everyone in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario-and now-Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Bullfrog’s generators inject renewable electricity onto your local or regional grid to match the amount your home or business uses. Bullfrog’s electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogoM program instead of from polluting sources like coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear.
6. Do they practice the three “Rs”?
Reduce, reuse and recycle. These words should be common place in our vocabulary today. Ask your printer what actions they take to practice these routines. Paper waste can quickly spiral out of control in the printing industry if special care is not taken to keep it under control.
7. Have many trees did they save last year?
We can’t expect an exact number here, but an environmentally responsible printer should be able to share with you a rough estimate based on reduced paper waste and substitution methods.
8. Do they offer a digital printing option?
Digital printing may not always be on par with traditional litho printing, but the difference in environmental impact is worth considering. Digital printing usually uses less energy, inks and often less paper.
Published in part by Colour Innovations.
