If you are trying to help your business to go green, one of the best ways to be eco-friendly is to adopt green printing practices and tactics. Often, printed materials are used extensively by companies for meetings, client education, and just day-to-day business activities. By going greener in this department, you can help the environment. Here are some of the best tips for green printing practices.
1. Consider Your Design Elements
One of the first things that you can do to go greener in your printing tactics is to watch your design elements. Avoid bleeding and large ink areas if you can. If this is not possible, then reduce the size of the project to reduce the amount of waste created during the printing process. This will also allow your projects to be printed faster and for reduced cost.
2. Use Recycled Paper
Another strategy you can implement in going green in your printing practices is to use paper that contains at least 30% post-consumer waste. There are also paper sources that are 100% recycled, though they may not be available for all project sizes and types.
3. Opt for Soy and Vegetable Based Inks
Not only do soy and vegetable based inks come from a renewable resource, unlike petroleum based inks, they are also better for the environment. They do not contain the toxins and carcinogens that petroleum inks do. In addition, they break down faster and are easier to remove during the recycling process.
4. Utilize Bio-degradable Coatings
For projects that require a coating on the finished product, such as book covers and brochures, look for bio-degradable coatings. These are gentler on the environment and easier to recycle.
5. Minimize the Page Count
Reducing your page count will not only create more cost-effective printings for you, but it is also greener since there is less waste produced. There are numerous ways that you can reduce your page count – use smaller margins, smaller font sizes, and print on both sides of the page to maximize the use of your materials.
6. Seek Recycled Binding Elements
If your finished product needs a binding, look for recycled plastic coil. These usually come in dark neutral colors and can contain as much as 80% post-consumer waste plastic, making it a green alternative to other binding options.
7. Count the Numbers
When trying to incorporate greener printing, it is helpful to print only the exact number of copies that you need. For large client presentations, try to wait until you have a better understanding of your registration numbers before printing up handouts. If you can, wait to print materials onsite when you know exactly how many copies you will need, and print employee handouts and forms on an as-needed basis. This will help to eliminate waste and reduce your cost.
8. Ensure Your Marketing is Effective
Green printing also involves ensuring your products and materials are not wasted. Clean up your mailing lists regularly so that only the customers that need the printouts are receiving them. Talk to exhibitors and suppliers about what marketing materials they really need and only print those. You can also offer literature on CDs, which are especially appreciated at trade shows.
9. Go Paperless
The easiest way to go green with your printing is to go paperless as much as possible. Send proofs via email instead of printing paper copies. Company announcements and memos can be delivered via a website or email as well.
10. Recycle Inside and Out
As with everything else, you can go greener by recycling. Start with your own office and set out recycling bins near the trash cans and copy machines. Set out piles of “scratch” paper that can be reused. Inform your clients and other recipients that your materials can be recycled, and when appropriate, provide containers to make this process easier.
