Articles
The following articles have been produced by the Verdigris Project. This material has been distributed to the Verdigris Publishing Network for use in their magazines and on their websites. This network includes approximately 30 titles throughout the world from Finland to Australia. If you would like to join the Verdigris Publishing Network (it’s free), please contact Laurel by going here and selecting "Verdigris Information".
Print buyers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of print. For the most part they understand that print is a more sustainable option than electronic media, but how do they decide which printing method to use? Is conventional offset more environmentally friendly than digital printing? Or is it the other way around?
One of the biggest ways in which printers and publishers can make a difference to the environment is through the paper they use. Wood is a renewable resource but some wood is more sustainable than others so responsible sourcing of wood, and by extension paper, can make a big difference. The paper industry relies heavily on virgin wood fibre, but the trees need to be carefully managed, to ensure that they are harvested and replaced responsibly. Sourcing paper from renewable sources can significantly cut down on harmful deforestation, and avoids risks associated with illegal logging, such as inadvertently funding local conflicts.
Can it really be true, as so many tree huggers believe, that pulp and paper production are major contributors to global warming? 
What’s the hottest topic in print these days? Judging by the spate of recent announcements, it’s carbon calculators. They’re everywhere, from Google’s calculator and those of NGOs such as the Carbon Trust and Envirowise in the UK, through to energy companies the world round. Even book publishers are getting into the act. For instance, Finnish book printer WS Bookwell’s ecocalculator calculates CO2 emissions and environmental impacts based on materials alternatives, production data and print run specifications.
Protecting the environment has to be a top priority for all of us in the printing industry. This much we know, but taking steps to improve how we do business isn’t that simple and is made harder by the ridiculous myth that going green is an expensive proposition. Fortunately a growing number of printing companies around the world are using their brains and have recognised that green habits are good for business as well as the planet.
Paper is arguably one of the most useful commodities every invented, one that most of us make use of every day, and yet few people know exactly how paper is manufactured.
We’ve seen processless plates, and plates with low chemistry requirements, but what about a CtP plate with no coating or chemistry whatsoever?
De-inking used paper is a major step towards making recycled paper, but can established de-inking processes keep up with advances in printing technology?
Environmental considerations have never played such an important role in CtP. Computer-to-plate has moved a long way in terms of affordability, performance and reliability since the early days. Plate technology has advanced to the point where printers can choose between traditional CtP systems that use chemical development and new chemistry-free technologies. This article looks at the latest chemistry-free systems, the different technologies that they use and the benefits they deliver to the user.
The Greenhouse Gas (or GHG) Protocol is the grandfather of almost all the various greenhouse gas or carbon reporting standards, labels, carbon calculators and other measuring guidance you are likely to come across. So even if you are not familiar with it, it’s very likely that your business is affected by it.
