NPC e-Newsletter

News & Notes - April 2008

It's Not Easy Being Green

Going Green

Green. It's a hot topic in every media outlet. And, sure, if you can do anything to help make our world a better place, why not? But, what about when it comes to buying print?

At the heart of the paper and printing industry is the forest. Paper comes from forests all over the world, but only 10% of those forests are under any kind of management. Managed forests standards are set "to meet the social, economic, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations." Currently, two organizations lead in providing education and promoting sustainable forestry practices, FSC (international) and SFI (North America).

Printers and papers can become FSC- or SFI-certified. However, although many people have an interest in doing their part by purchasing certified papers from certified printers, the issue is one of supply and demand. Due to the fact that 90% of the world's forests are not managed, the number of papers that meet certification requirements is low. For now, the papers being certified tends to be high-end papers for high profile print pieces. The commercial-grade uncoated commodity offset papers we use (50# and 60# offset), are not available from a generally available certified supply chain. The demand for certified product is out pacing supply-- this translates into higher prices for sustainable products.

NPC continually evaluates becoming FSC-certified. Given the lack of generally available commodity papers, the move toward FSC-certification has been slower compared to print suppliers providing high-end print. As many of you know, NPC has a deep-rooted interest in forests and are currently looking closely at the manufacturing and recycling processes, seeking areas for improvement.

What is your company's current position on "green"? Let us know by taking a brief survey.

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