Greenwashing for Earth Day

Yes, Earth Day was a few days ago, I know. The following article is an open letter inspired by Earth Day and is directed to those who 'Greenwash', those who claim that going paperless is somehow better for the Earth...

I’ve had it with my bank and all the other companies that are bashing paper products to promote electronic billing, statements and other e-services.  Yes…I’ve finally lost it.
I have decided to be diplomatic and not name you…but we all know who you are.
To my bank and other providers out there who are doing this:You are damaging my livelihood and you are misleading people with greenwashing so that you can cut costs.  Please be honest.

Read the rest of the letter here:

http://twosidesus.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/my-earth-day-request-cut-the-anti-paper-greenwashing/

Paper - some myths and some facts

From the linked article:

Paper comes in many formats – newspapers, magazines, tissue, packaging, books, banknotes and printing papers. Paper is made from a natural, renewable and sustainable resource and boasts the highest recycling rate of any material in the UK.

While the article is from a Consortium in the UK, it is still an interesting read.

And it reminds me of something I used to ask people when they would say paper is dead..... If paper is so dead then you won't mind giving me all of your paper money to chuck in the recycling bin.

Read on, its a good site with great information.

http://www.paper.org.uk/mythsandfacts/

Paper or Plastic?

No, not for your shopping bag... for your milk!

Print Week has an interesting article about plastic milk jugs compared to carton-packs.


While carton-packs are less common here in the U.S., maybe we should become a bit more familiar with them for some environmental reasons.

Follow the link and see for yourself.




http://www.printweek.com/Business/article/1138764/bottles-use-50-finite-resources-carton-packs/?utm_source=WhatTheyThink+Newsletters&utm_campaign=dfe2065890-wtt_goinggreen_11110111_1_2011&utm_medium=email

The Paper Trail

Sometimes, there’s just no substitute for paper.

Really!

Another article from Paper Because that I enjoyed and think you will too....

Two points specifically from the article:

...Indeed, financial institutions have been promoting this service [Paperless Options] not only for its convenience to customers but also as a way for them to help “save trees” and protect the environment by reducing paper use. The latter may be a great selling point, but is it true?

Well, it might be saving tree's but that isn't really their goal. It is saving the company money. But how much of that savings is being passed along to you as the end user/consumer?

And the second point:

...a strategically placed “honey-do list” is a constant and persistent reminder, improving the odds that items will get checked off. In fact, a survey conducted by lifehack.org showed thatnot only do most people use a paper to do list, but that paper is more than twice as popular as any other method listed."

I know my wife uses the 'strategically placed to-do list' all the time. And it is always on paper.

See the Forrest for the Trees

I keep hearing "Print Kills Trees!"

I say No, it doesn't.

And Oce was kind enough to write this press release backing me up....

Customers Benefit As Océ Eco Start Program Accelerates

... funded the planting of over 350,000 trees in 2011...to help offset CO2 emissions attributable to the energy usage from production equipment during the first year of operation. 

Well, OK, they didn't write the article for me. They did, however, plant 350,000 trees in 2011 to help offset the carbon footprint of the company.

Print may kill trees, but the companies that make print happen are doing a whole lot more than you think to put trees back in the ground.

Pixels versus Paper

Received a link to an interesting article today regarding Pixels versus Printing.

Paper And The Sustainability Issue by Joann Whitcher.

The article discusses the increasing push-back from the Paper and Print industries regarding some of the environmental claims of 'Paper is Bad for the Environment.' Some of the highlights of the article are the claims of environmental sustainability of email versus printing as well as some of the claims of environmental impacts and carbon footprints from both sides of the debate.

Can email be as 'green' as a letter when less than 20 percent of a computer is recyclable and more than 80% of the computers and electronics wind up in a landfill.

Follow the link. Read the article. Let me know what you think.