Every business can keep the environment in mind when planning print projects, and understanding new products and practices is essential. A commitment to environmentally responsible printing can be challenging but highly rewarding.

Some environmentally friendly products may be a bit more expensive. It’s important, however, not to view pricing issues as constraints. Instead, think creatively in design to help balance benefits with costs.

Design
There are endless options in design to reduce the environmental impact of the printing process. Ink is conserved by printing in two-color instead of full-color. Avoid wasting paper by designing to standard press sheet sizes, or with large jobs a printer can order a special sheet size. Design multi-functional projects to economize paper use and reduce waste, or combine projects. An example would be to print business cards and postcards from the same recycled paper.

Soy Based Inks
Soy ink is an excellent alternative to petroleum based inks when offset printing. Soy ink uses soybean oil that’s naturally low in VOCs, which cause cancer and birth defects. Petroleum-based inks leach VOCs into the soil when printed papers end up in landfills. These toxins can also be released into the air as fresh inks dry. Soy ink is a smart substitute that is sustainable, efficient, and cost-competitive. Many newspapers, magazines, and other materials are now printed with soy ink.

Digital Printing
This is viable technique for short-run, four-color work. Digital printing offers several advantages in flexibility, and has some environmental benefits over soy inks. While soy is comprised of 86-percent oil, which isn’t biodegradable, digital printing uses 100-percent nontoxic toner. Toner-based inks also produce less chemical waste.

Better Bleaching Options
Brighter, whiter papers are created by with bleaching. Elemental chlorine was once extensively used to brighten paper products, but now chlorine dioxide is commonly used and pollutes less than pure chlorine. Better choices include PCF and TCF bleaching, which substitute oxygen-based compounds for chlorine.

Recycled Paper
One way to preserve resources is to purchase recycled paper with high levels of post-consumer content. Using recycled paper saves landfill space and minimizes water and energy consumption. Check recycling symbols to see what percentage of recycled fiber was used during the manufacturing process.

Alternative Papers
A number of alternatives to traditional papers are now available, made from materials like denim, hemp or ground stone. Some of these options deliver excellent quality and superior durability.

Local
Use a trusted local printer who supports a wide selection of recycled and alternative papers. The local printer is also able to deliver finished products with less transportation so less petroleum used.

.

AIGA Center for Sustainable Design provided information for this article.