Business Management - Sustainability

The digital media revolution promises to improve the quality of our lives though an expanded capacity to communicate, collaborate, learn and make informed decisions. Yet our seemingly insatiable demand for digital media is driving a proliferation of consumer electronic devices and IT infrastructure, which are significantly contributing to a tsunami of toxic electronic waste.

This week U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson announced that promoting citizen engagement and increasing government accountability on enforcement to improve the design, production, handling, reuse, recycling, exporting and disposal of electronics is of the EPA's top six international priorities.

The book industry is rapidly implementing practices that minimize negative social and environmental impacts. Over 250 publishers, representing about 50% of the book industry's market share, have either developed strong environmental policies. This webinar is designed to share best practices in the book industry on sustainability.

Finch Paper recently opened its mill (and forests) in Glens Falls, NY, to several industry media and analysts, myself included. The tour featured an up-close view of the company’s integrated paper-making facility, which includes a woodyard, pulp mill and four paper machines.

Brothers Brian and Kevin Driscoll, co-owners of New Haven, CT-based Phoenix Press, could not help but be excited about their new 156-foot wind turbine. The brothers never imagined that their family owned commercial printing business would serve as a prime location for harnessing wind energy.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow print buyers a credit against income tax for the completion of sustainable print projects.

The Print Buyer’s Reduction in Taxes Bill of 2010 proposes that any print project, which is purchased in an environmentally sustainable way, be eligible for refunds of state sales taxes by the Federal government.

A proposed U.S. tax credit for "green" printing that was unveiled this week could lead to some interesting arguments among environmentalists, printers, paper mills and print-buying organizations.

The legislation would be good news for paper mills using recycled fiber and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative but bad news for big printers and overseas paper manufacturers.

The June PaperSpecs webinar “Understanding the New FSC Labels” could have been called “Everything You Wanted to Know about the New FSC Labels But Were Afraid to Ask” except that attendees weren’t afraid to ask anything!

Guest speaker Monika Patel, FSC Canada’s program officer served up answers to your biggest concerns about the new labeling standards and graphic formats. And while you may see some of those new labels (FSC-STD-50-001) in use today right along with the original format (FSC-STD-40-201), the updated labels are not required until January 1, 2011.

The "Seven Sins of Greenwashing" are detailed by Scot Case of TerraChoice in this audio clip from the "Green Marketing Without Greenwashing" Webinar.

There's a perception — especially among some smaller printers — that sustainability programs are expensive and time consuming. Think again.

“Sustainability is more than using recycled paper and soy inks...it's a holistic approach to running a business,” says Gary Jones, director of environmental, health and safety affairs for Printing Industries of America (www.printing.org). “With this approach, many printing operations have been able to save significant costs due to waste prevention, improved product quality and reduced operating expenses.”