With the resurgence of direct mail marketing in the business-to-business mix, determining whether or not print is a sustainable choice is a valid concern for both businesses and the planet.

 

When executed thoughtfully, print is a viable environmentally friendly choice. Below are some of the most common misconceptions about print and its effects on the environment -- what you learn may surprise you!

 

Myth: Using paper kills trees.

 

Fact: Only 11 percent of the world's forests are used for paper -- while 28 percent are used for lumber and 53 percent are turned into fuel.¹

 

Approximately four million trees are planted each day by private foresters, which is three to four times more than they harvest. Selling trees for paper allows foresters to use that income to maintain, renew, and manage their forest resources. Without income from paper, landowners face economic pressure to convert forests into other uses that are more profitable, such as selling their land for development. The U.S. paper industry actually drives the growth of domestic forests, which are critical animal habitats and provide oxygen for us to breathe.

 

Myth: Paper production wastes energy.

 

Fact: All industries require energy to produce their products. Although paper-making is a large-scale undertaking, it's doesn't require as much energy as you might think. On average, it takes only 500 kWh of electricity to produce 200kg of paper -- the average amount of paper one person uses in a year.² This is about the same amount of electricity it takes to run a small surface burner year round. And every year, this energy output lessens -- the paper industry is continuously optimizing their production lines.

 

Additionally, printing has a one-time carbon footprint -- all other forms of media require energy to run them each time they are used.

 

Myth: Information technologies are more environmentally friendly

than print.

 

Fact: Electronic communications are efficient, but not necessarily more sustainable than print. Only 18 percent of electronics in the U.S. are currently being recycled,³ while 54.7 percent of all paper is recycled.⁴ As a nation, we need to be better about recycling our electronics, and realize that when paper is responsibly produced and consumed, it is an environmentally sustainable media.

 

The bottom line is that either/or is not the answer. When building your marketing mix, make thoughtful decisions about your company's communications. By linking the power of paper with the efficiency of electronics, you can streamline your communications and maintain the best environmental balance possible.

 

   

Sincerely, 

 

Mona Graham
 
Monogram Communication Services

798 University Avenue

  

  

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