Tips for Making Your Environmental Goals a Reality
Did you know there are more than 100 environmentally friendly publication papers available that match virgin-fiber papers in cost and quality? More than 100 magazines are published on these papers, including The Nation, Discover, Surfer Magazine, Outside, Ms. Magazine, and Mother Jones. And with global warming becoming an increasingly significant global concern, even publishing conglomerates like Random House are implementing corporate policies to improve their environmental impact.
If you’re considering improvements to your environmental practices, the following tips can help:
1. Gain company-wide support. Management’s acknowledgment of the value and opportunity in utilizing recycled content is critical. Support from multiple departments, such as editorial, circulation and ad sales is also essential.
2. Determine your company’s priorities. There are a number of ways to improve your company’s environmental impact. Determining whether your goals are to reduce internal paper consumption, help conserve environmental resources or reducing impacts such as toxics and chemicals can help you determine your best course of action.
3. Map out your environmental vision, setting goals and a schedule for gradually increasing your progress. Many companies find success in gradually increasing their use of recycled-content paper, for example, by setting long-term goals, such as achieving 100-percent post-consumer recycled content usage in five or 10 years, or 30 percent content in three to five years, with yearly goals to help ensure the final goal is met.
4. Get your supply chain partners on board. Tell your printer and other suppliers of your goals and ask that they take steps to help you achieve your goals. Many printers do not promote the availability of environmentally friendly papers for a variety of reasons, but you may be surprised what is available if you ask. Visit http://www.Conservatree.org for a list of environmentally friendly papers and their specifications.
