The Verdigris Blog by Laurel Brunner

This article was produced by the Verdigris project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Spindrift, Splash PR, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.

Please also include the Verdigris logo and a link to this website. If you don't already have our logos, you can get them by downloading the "Publishers Bundle" from our Archive page. And don’t forget terms of the Creative Commons license at the footer of the site. Enjoy!

Time to achieve net zero

Mon, 23/01/2023 - 09:03

medium_laurel2015.jpgThe Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner

Sounds daunting? Well fear not because ISO has recently published a document to help you make a start. ISO Net-zero Guidelines comprises a series of recommendations and guiding principles. These are all about achieving net-zero global carbon dioxide and other polluting emissions in 2050. Net-zero Guidelines has an enormous scope covering everything from which basic principles to follow, through to communications transparency. The document aims to align all interests across industry sectors, nations, regions and cities, so it is globally relevant.

United Nations Publishers’ Compact

Mon, 09/01/2023 - 08:32

medium_2015_Laurel B.jpgThe Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner

The United Nations Publishers’ Compact was introduced a couple of years ago, since when it has attracted hundreds of signatories from all of the world. Publishers from industry associations, through to research institutes and trade publishing have committed to fulfil ten action points. The idea is to jumpstart progress within the publishing industry so that the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) are met by 2030. Organisations are being asked to champion the UNSDGs and to develop and promote their own sustainability initiatives.

How book printers can make a sustainability difference

Mon, 12/12/2022 - 15:00

Laurel-2018.jpgThe Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner

Making a difference for the climate depends on print service providers and customers working together to cut emissions. Obviously printing companies and their supply chains recognise this, but there is still much more that must be done to change sustainability minds and attitudes.

Are we losing the Plot on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)?

Mon, 28/11/2022 - 08:50

medium_laurel2015.jpgThe Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner

The seventeen UNSDGs range from eliminating poverty to preserving life below water and they probably seem completely irrelevant to the average printing company owner. But these goals should not be brushed off as someone else’s gig. The UNSDGs affect the lives of all of us and our intertwined supply chains because they are targets for improvement. All manner of bodies from brands to municipalities are striving somehow in the general direction of the UNSDGs. So however vague and remote they may seem to many businesses, we should all be getting behind them.

Steps towards a circular economy

Mon, 14/11/2022 - 11:36

medium_2015_Laurel B.jpgThe Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner

The idea of using watermarking as an aid to waste sorting has been around for a while. At the moment it’s mostly relevant for packaging, but it could also matter for commercial print. As digitally printed volumes grow and recycling technologies advance, a digital watermark could make a big difference to waste handling. It could for instance help direct digital prints to the correct deinking streams.

Pages