Climate change has been at the top of many news stories in this Summer of 2023 as temperatures have soared across the globe and fires have raged out-of-control in Canada creating air quality problems across the U.S.A. Just a couple of days ago, a wildfire raged across the island of Maui in Hawai killing more than 55 people. Many commercial printing companies have started to adopt policies and methodologies to make printing sustainable and more eco-friendly. Here are some of the ways commercial printers are becoming more environmentally conscious:
Using Eco-Friendly Recycled Paper
In recent years, there have been new commercial printing companies established that primarily use recycled paper in the projects they print. While this approach somewhat limits the kinds of items that can be printed, using recycled paper stocks helps to drive the necessity of creating sustainable logging and foresting practices for new paper production.
Carbon Balanced Paper
Many paper manufacturers are now implementing methods that decrease their carbon footprint in the paper production process. This is accomplished by measuring the total amount of carbon generated in the manufacturing process and adjusting segments of the process to reduce carbon emissions, etc.
Carbon Balanced Printing
As with paper manufacturers, commercial printers have begun the process of reducing their carbon footprints across the printing enterprise. Again, by first measuring total carbon output, printing companies can identify and implement strategies to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions.
Digital Printing
Because a digital printing press does not require the use of a printing plate, a printing company can produce less waste (printing plates are not recyclable) than that generated by conventional offset presses.
LED UV Printing
LED (Light Emitting Diode) UV (Ultraviolet) printing reduces carbon emissions by instantly drying inks that would otherwise emit carbon and other volatile organic compounds during the drying process. It also uses less energy than traditional drying technologies (i.e., hot-air blowers/rollers).
If you have any questions about Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Printing, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.
Photo by Noah Buscher
