This is a huge concern to all of us, and over the years Copies&Ink has taken many steps, (some at great expense) to minimize our impact on the environment. These fall into two general categories: First, reducing waste and environmental impact though our production and materials processes and second, an area that we feel is often neglected. So much so, that I recently coined a phrase to describe it:

Organic Print.

The notion of Organic Print encourage users of print to consider the Raison d’être of the materials they produce as well as their design, and the stategy behind their distribution. Each of these factors has an important potential impact on the carbon footprint of the printed piece. The industrial age economy has given way to a new paradigm based on information and innovation. Printing firms need to keep pace and let go of the idea that “more is better.”

In practical terms, that often means we ask a client to reconsider a project’s design and sometimes even whether is should be printed at all. Yes, in the short term, this can be bad for business, but in the long term it forges a stronger relationship with the client moving forward.

Target Your Printing

Print only what you need, when you need it. Tailor it to those readers most interested in your message. Today’s technology gives us the ability to target and personalize on a one-to-one basis. I believe that’s the future of print, and it’s already arrived. There’s a declining ROI in old-style mass marketing, and it’s bad for the planet.

Years ago, Copies&Ink embraced a “green” platemaking technology, which eliminated silver and corrosive chemicals from our manufacturing process. We operate “right sized” presses, which reduce waste to a minimum. We’ve eliminated incandescent lighting and installed high SEER air conditioning units.

And yes, we offer a large selection of recycled papers, many of which can be obtained at an excellent price point. For information drop us a line and ask about some green alternatives for your next project.

In a talk entitled Fishing the Sea to Death, anthropologist and scientist Joshua Reichert explains that “People don’t mourn the loss of something they never knew existed, nor do they tend to mourn the disappearance of something they never experienced directly. They may regret its absence intellectually, but they don’t feel the loss emotionally.”

Download this talk originally broadcast on the New Dimensions radio series, and I guarantee you’ll be shocked and terrified. The sea is being devastated by commercial as well as personal interests to an extent that may never be reversible. Yes, using recycled paper and other renewable resources is a great idea, but let’s remember that even larger issues may loom outside our direct view.