DCP Dialogue

Paper vs. Electronic Communications—Can paper be better for the environment?

Everyone’s thinking green these days. We’re all aware that we need to do our part to protect the environment. So we cut down on our print communications to save trees and in turn we increase our electronic communications. This requires that we keep our electronic devices current and rely on them 24/7. We feel good about our personal and professional commitment to preserving the environment.

Now a paper company has compiled some facts that imply that paper communications can be better for the environment than electronic communications. Is this possible?

As part of their “Down to Earth™” promotional series, International Paper poses and answers the question, “Are pixels greener than paper?” Some of the interesting points pulled directly from their brochure include:

• Every decision to communicate has some impact on the environment.

• Effective stewardship requires a careful examination of the larger picture that compares the entire lifecycle, from raw materials to energy use and end of life, to fully understand the impact and performance of both electronic media and paper. Here are some of the facts:
  •     Raw Materials 
    Paper: The paper and forest products industry replenishes more than it takes and ensures the sustainability of our forests by planting 1.7 million trees every single day, more than three times what is harvested.
    Electronic: Making a computer typically requires the mining and refining of dozens of minerals and metals, as well as the extensive use of plastics and hydrocarbon solvents. 
  •     Energy Consumption
    Pulp and Paper Industry: Sixty percent of the energy used to make paper in the U.S. comes from carbon-neutral renewable resources and is produced on site at mills
    Electronic Data Center Servers: Internet servers use more than 90 percent fossil fuels purchased off the grid, which are greenhouse gas emitting. 
  •     End of Life
    Paper: Nearly 60 percent of all paper in the U.S. is recycled and more than 63 percent of the fiber used to make new paper products in the U.S. comes from recycled sources.
    Electronics: Only 18% of all electronic devices are currently recycled. E-waste now constitutes our single largest toxic waste export.  
• A government study estimates that the rise in gadget ownership and the switch from analog to digital TV could boost the electricity usage on the consumer electronics sector by 60 percent by 2010.

Is it possible that a complete shift from paper to electronics is bad for the environment? Is this brochure a great marketing campaign for paper or a valid argument?

What do you think? Weigh in and let’s start a conversation.

Embracing Sustainability

Hard to imagine a year ago I was taking a photo of a co-worker posing from inside a trash dumpster for our first ever Green edition of our in-house newsletter the Worker Bee. Why did we pose Don in the dumpster? Simple, we had been conducting periodic dumpster dives in our own trash to see if the recycling was getting recycled and the trash was truly trash – its was all part of our efforts to incorporate and promote green practices within our organization.

Fast forward to this past Wednesday (Earth Day) to a meeting with our executive team and a team from the Green MBA (Dominican University, San Rafael, CA).  For the past 4 months, Diablo Publications has sponsored a project in conjunction with Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to determine our status in qualifying for a Green Business Certification. Last week we received the final report detailing the results and recommendations for completion.

The ABAG certification will provide the foundation we are looking for to align our continuous improving green management policies with recognized best practices in solid waste and recycling, energy consumption, water conservation and pollution prevention. As a result of the project, we now know where we stand, and what steps we need to take in order to qualify for certification. We will keep you posted when we officially achieve this goal!

In addition to exploring our internal sustainable initiatives we are also committed to working with vendors who utilize best green practices. Because of this we can offer print products that are produced using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified paper; chlorine-free recycled paper; and soy based ink printing.  We are committed not just to the clients who demand these attributes for their pieces, but we also commit to educating our existing clients on this topic as well.

We have come a long way since dumpster diving a year ago and I am proud to say that DCP understands the value of the overall commitment to sustainability and its lasting impact on future generations. We embrace our role as an industry and community leader and take responsibility for our part.