The idea of corporate social responsibility gives organizations many options to go green—employing environmental considerations such as recycling, reducing energy consumption, and improving efficiencies. Though much of our business communication has gone paperless with the growing popularity of e-mail and the Internet, there is still a need to print. Whether printing at the office or having something printed professionally, there are a variety of options when choosing paper.

Lately, the paper and printing industries have been using so much new “green” lingo that simply using recycled paper is not that easy. There are recycled, post-consumer recycled, and virgin sheets of paper. What does each mean and how do you distinguish which is which? How do you determine which is the best to show your commitment to the environment? And what about those inks? What is a soy-based ink and are there any other alternatives that are environmentally conscious?

Types of paper
The two most popular types of paper, coated and uncoated, have varying degrees of recycled content. Uncoated paper—which has a more natural texture—may appear to be more environmentally sound, however, the process of making coated paper—more polished and smooth than uncoated—uses less wood, but it is easier to recycle uncoated paper, so there is a trade-off no matter which paper you choose.
Recycled paper, as defined by EPA guidelines, is uncoated paper with at least 30% post consumer waste (PCW) and coated paper with at least 10% PCW. Post-consumer waste is recycled material that has been collected after it has been used and disposed of. Office and household recycling programs are the main sources of post-consumer paper waste. Recyclable paper is unused paper that is reclaimed and made into new sheets. It’s main source is often  waste that has been trimmed or discarded during the papermaking process.

Virgin paper contains no recycled content.

Certified Sources
Several organizations are qualified to give paper certifications. A few include:

• The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a series of applied standards for sustainable forestry overseen by an independent body.
• The Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The purpose of the CSA Sustainable Forestry Management system is to provide a credible and recognized process for certifying sustainable forestry in Canada.
• The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a global organization promoting responsible forestry since 1993. Since 1995, The United States chapter (FSC-US) has been providing public information and promoting certification.

There are other certified sources such as other forest management organizations and sustainable power plants. For more information on sustainable sources visit www.fscus.org (Forest Stewardship Council) and www.epa.gov/greenpower (Environmental Protection Agency).

Inks
There are also many variations on the types of inks that can be used to print. There are soy and vegetable-based inks, which contain far fewer chemicals than their unnatural counterparts. On the whole, the entire printing industry has been shifting to more environmentally conscious materials. When printing, ask your printer about the availability of environmentally considerate inks—most printers already use them.

Printing and paper use has expanded as our computers’ capabilities have grown. Understanding environmentally mindful products and techniques allows us to make the best use of our resources and a significant statement to our market.

© 2007 ADAMS