How the chain-of-custody mechanism is used in the in-plant environment to trace products from the forest to the end user.

By Vic Barkin

How Green is Your Print Shop?

To help customers pinpoint opportunities to reduce their environmental impact while reducing costs, Xerox unveiled a Sustainability Calculator last month. The proprietary software tool, available on its Web site, measures the overall impact a company’s document technologies have on the environment. (www.consulting.xerox.com/flash/thoughtleaders/suscalc/xeroxCalc.html)

In a brochure entitled “How Green is your Print Shop?” Xerox offers 10 tips to manage a print facility more efficiently for a greener world.

1) Understand your environmental impacts and set goals to reduce them. Involve employees. Improve air quality. Use non-toxic toners and vegetable-based inks.

2) Embrace print on demand. It eliminates costly warehousing and obsolescence of materials.

3) Adopt latest workflow technologies. Automate manual processes. Receive jobs over the Web.

4) Make the most of every sheet. Print as many images per page as possible. Make two-sided prints. Scan to e-mail instead of faxing.

5) Utilize soft proofing. It saves costs and reduces paper usage.

6) Know where your paper comes from and recycle the paper you use. Seek papers with the FSC certification label and recycled papers. Install bins in your shop to collect paper for recycling.

7) Reduce energy use. Upgrade older products with more efficient products. Power equipment down when not in use. Replace older office products with energy efficient multifunction systems.

8) Use good waste prevention and management practices. Recycle toner cartridges. Reduce use of hazardous wastes.

9) Seek equipment designed for remanufacturing or recycling.

10) Ensure you are working with environmentally responsible suppliers. Ask suppliers what they are doing to reduce their environmental impact, and get validation of those claims.

To learn more, visit: xerox.com/environment

Sense and Sustainability

Well known for its extensive use of wind power in the manufacturing of its papers, Mohawk Fine Papers is a leader in creating waste-free products. The environmental calculator on its Web site has helped many in-plants track the environmental impact of their paper choices.

Mohawk has produced a publication called “Sense and Sustainability” that explains the concept of sustainability and why it matters. In it, Mohawk offers suggestions to help in-plants prioritize their paper specification:

1| Choose paper made with 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled fiber.

2| Choose papers with FSC-certified fiber to preserve forest lands.

3| Choose papers made carbon neutral with Verified Emissions Reduction credits that fund additive, clean energy projects.

4| Choose papers made with emission-free renewable energy, such as wind-generated electricity.

5| Choose papers made with process chlorine free (PCF) or elemental chlorine free (ECF) pulps.

6| Choose uncoated papers; coated papers yield very little recyclable fiber.

7| Choose paper mills that have received third-party certifications from Green-e, Green Seal and the Forest Stewardship Council.

To learn more, and try out Mohawk’s environmental calculator, visit: mohawkpaper.com/environment

IN MARCH 2007, Nordstrom announced it would incorporate more environmentally sound practices into its printed products. It became the first of its peers in fashion specialty retail to print on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified stock. As a result, virtually all of the company’s printing partners are now FSC-certified by mandate.

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Vic Barkin Author's page

Vic Nathan Barkin has more than 35 years of experience in the printing, paper and wood products industries and currently owns a consulting practice specializing in business development, workflow, and technology implementation, focusing on “Green Procurement and Production” practices. Vic is a QMS Lead Auditor certified to ISO 9001:2008 standards, is a consultant for the Rainforest Alliance as an FSC Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood senior auditor, is an FSC, SFI and PEFC lead auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers and SGS North America, and has engaged in more than 700 site assessments and audits.

Forest Certification in the In-plant