Media, as we know it, may be moving towards digital outlets but print materials are still very much current and still widely in use. From newspapers and magazines to books and pamphlets, people still use print media on a daily basis. However, part of the digital media craze is a desire to move towards a more environmentally-friendly marketing model.
An Introduction to Environmentally-Friendly Printing
The good news is that the print media industry has taken this into account and there are now many Doculand printing and photocopying services who work diligently to reduce their carbon footprint by employing environmentally-friendly printing practices. Some of this might include the likes of:
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- digital formats over printed materials as often as possible
- relying more on recycled paper
- relying on recycled printer cartridges
- relying on soy-based ink as often as possible
- two-side printing
Why Is This Important?
Well, as discussed above, consumers still like print media. Even people who are fully on board with the digital movement and understand the importance of moving away from print materials still often prefer print, if they can have it. But going green is more than just recycling whenever you can. The green movement is to shift over as many of your habits and behaviors as possible to make the biggest impact as possible.
But keep in mind, too, that traditional printing is more than just paper and ink: it uses a lot of energy. Running a printer requires electric power; combustion engines collect lumber; machines process that lumber and print paper.
Looking more closely at this aspect: traditional printing practices produces something called “volatile organic compounds,” or “VOCs”. VOCs are emitted from machinery as gases, as a result of the break down or the production of various chemical solids and liquids. While they can be bad for the environment, of course, they have also been associated with both short term and long term health issues.
Obviously, this is only the tip of the iceberg, but you can see why it might be important to think about how one small change can make a major impact on the bigger picture.
