How to best protect our environment has become a problem that currently moves and inspires people. The “Fridays for Future” movement and “hot” discussions around climate change since the hot summer of 2018 when extreme droughts were covered all over the media still stick in people’s minds.
Only recently scientists managed to take pictures of the Mariana Trench, which lies at the deepest spot of the Pacific Ocean at around 10,000 metres. It is rather telling and also shameful that these scientifically important pictures also show a plastic bag. When you think about environmental protection you will probably also consider the increased deforestation of the tropical rainforest. This is why it is so important to explore how print products and environmental protection are connected and which role FSC paper plays in this.
THE GLOBAL DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS ASKS FOR SUSTAINABLE ACTION
Did you know that the worldwide deforestation reached its peak in 2018 with 30 million hectares in total? That is the size of Great Britain and Ireland combined, just to give an approximate feeling for the size. Most of it actually happens for farming i.e. the growing meat production and consumption, as well as for the search for mineral resources like gold, iron and aluminium. Considering all this it seems logical to be more invested in environmental protection, because the woods as lungs of the earth absorb about a third of all the greenhouse gases humans are emitting. These gases are responsible for climate change, after all. When it comes to print products the label FSC certified is a successful approach to promote and credibly pursue environmental protection.
ONCE A SIDE ISSUE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL TODAY
Whoever talks about eco-friendly and environmental protection will no longer be regarded as some kind of outsider. On the contrary, the awareness in society has grown so much that companies can actually improve their image with environmental activities. This means there are many reasons for eco-friendly print products. Only a sustainable use of resources guarantees that they will still be available for a reasonable price in future.
TANGIBLE FORMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR PRINT PRODUCTS
Paper that has been FSC certified can be a responsible basis for environmental protection. By using paper that is to 100 % recycled it can be guaranteed that resources are returned to the production cycle. When it comes to the printing itself, plant based paints, inks and dyes will probably play a more important role in future as well. Companies who want to take sustainability even further can additional only use eco-friendly power sources relying on renewable energies. In an ideal case the whole production is climate-neutral.
Hürlimann has been FSC-certified since 2009 and all print products are allowed to carry the according label depicting a tree. Products bearing the label are made of paper from sustainable forestation, the woods are chosen according to the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Maybe you want to impress customers with sustainable print products as well – and thus be remembered?
Why not use a hand-written message on FSC papers or envelopes? Handwriting robot Sophie will help you with this.
PAPER OR DIGITAL?
Now people might get the idea to completely refrain from using paper. In daily life this could for example mean to forgo the daily newspaper. The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has evaluated this scientifically – with surprising results: in some cases the print product was actually more environmental-friendly.
This is the case when reading takes longer than 30 minutes. When on the other hand someone only reads for a few minutes the Internet is indeed more sustainable. Print media therefore has still a right to exist. It always depends on the sustainability of the paper. FSC paper in this context has become a real alternative.
WHAT DOES FSC CERTIFIED MEAN?
FSC stands for ‘Forest Stewardship Council’. Products that are FSC certified stand for sustainable forestry. Unified and transnational standards make sure that the forests can be used by the next generations as well. The according logo, which can often be found on FSC paper, shows customers that the paper indeed comes from sustainable sources. Products only get the FSC quality seal after thorough checks and reviews of all relevant criteria. Therefore ‘FSC certified’ is a renowned quality seal on print products.
GETTING RID OF WRONG CLISHÉS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (FSC PAPER)
When thinking about modern pint products people of course imagine high quality. Paper from sustainable sources or recycling paper today has indeed very different shapes and designs, so companies who make the decision to use sustainably sourced paper for their unique print products do not have to make a compromise when it comes to quality. On the contrary: surface quality, grammage, colour brilliance and individual refinements will ensure first-class results.
HOW COMPANIES CAN PROFIT BY USING GREEN MARKETING
Companies who are focusing on environmental protection and use FSC paper for their pint products make a sustainable choice in every sense, which can also be used for marketing purposes. Green marketing offers the change to address the current zeitgeist and polish the company’s image by acting responsibly.
Most customers appreciate it, if companies put an exclamation mark behind environmental protection. Above that environmentally friendly printing processes and higher economic efficiency make it possible to preserve resources. The oldest printer in in Zurich, the printing company Hürlimann, is an FSC certified company and as a partner additionally offer “myclimate“: here customers can compensate unavoidable CO2 emissions through climate protection programs.
ONLY SUSTAINABILITY SAVES RARE NATURAL RESOURCES
If huge parts of tropical rainforests are chopped down every day and plastic bags are floating even at the deepest point of the ocean, there is no alternative to environmental protection. It is impossible to forgo paper entirely, because companies still need various print media for their communication and public relations.
Studies have additionally shown that digital media is not always the most sustainable solution. Printing companies that are FSC certified can be an effective alternative to live more environmentally friendly and through marketing address a current topic that moves and inspires more and more people.
