This week we’ve been looking into how sustainable the printing industry is and what developments have been made over recent years to move the industry into a more environmentally minded direction.
Did you know? The printing industry is 8 times bigger than the video gaming industry!
Below is a guide, inspired by this article from Insights, on what steps the printing industry has taken towards sustainability:
Firstly, the printing industry has moved towards sustainability by entering into the world of virtual development. Many printing companies, including ourselves, are now offering graphic design services. Graphic design and printing go hand in hand as most products have to be graphically designed before going to print. Moreover, printers often now offer virtual products such as invites, menus, and website designs as the digital world becomes a bigger part of everyday life. This has become even more prevalent during the pandemic, when most events have been virtual, and the move to the digital world has only accelerated. This development has been assisted by digital technology allowing printers to make less mistakes leading to less waste output.
Did you know? If the world’s empty ink cartridges from 1 year were laid out end to end it would circle the Earth 3 times!
Recent developments have meant that printing companies now have the means to dispose of their waste in responsible ways. For example, companies like J&G Environmental melt down your printing plates or shred your cartridges to upcycle them. J&G have won a Queens award for their innovation in sustainability, and we are proud to use their services. Additionally, we are making moves to reduce our plastic usage as much as we can, including replacing plastic packaging with cardboard where possible. Companies now have access to compostable plastic bags and paper tape, and recycling initiatives for ink cartridges.
Recycling is incredibly important, which is why we use ‘Woodland Trust Office’ paper for all of our A4 printing. This paper is recycled, FSC certified, chlorine free, and bleach free. We also commit to recycling all waste paper rather than putting it to landfill. With so many options for competitively priced recycled paper and recycling collections being so easily accessible, it’s really the easiest way to move towards sustainability for our industry. It is important to note, however, that paper is considered a sustainable asset in Europe, in that we plant more trees than we cut down every year.
Did you know? European forests grow by 1500 football pitches every day!
Another important piece of equipment that has become more environmentally friendly is the actual machines we use for printing. From HP to Heidlberg, most companies now produce machines with energy saving modes and multifunctional printers that can fax, print, scan, and copy all in one machine. Less machinery in your workshop or offices means less electricity usage.
Speaking of electricity supply, you can use sustainable electricity suppliers both professionally and personally. Companies like Bulb, Ecotricity, and Good Energy offer 100% renewable electricity by exclusively using hydro, solar, and wind power, rather than finite resources like fossil fuels, or pollutants like nuclear power. Natural resources are sustainable as the supplies cannot be exhausted.
Did you know? 90% of ink is produced for printing not for writing
This is not the only way to be environmentally minded by outsourcing the efforts; carbon offsetting is a new way to be sustainable. Offsetting carbon means paying a fee to offset your carbon output or being part of an initiative that plants trees to cut carbon in the atmosphere. By taking part in both of these options, we are proud to say that PEP is now a carbon neutral company.
Lastly, and maybe most importantly, ink has made moves to be more Earth conscious as well. Ink originated by being a vegetable oil based liquid, but in the 1970s it became more modernised due to increased demand, leading to it now being mostly petroleum based. The sustainable options for ink means going back to using vegetable oil based inks again. Additionally, depending on the size of your company, it may be worth considering switching to printing on demand to save waste of ink and paper.
We hope this has been helpful and inspired you to make changes today to help the planet tomorrow.
