The printing and paper industries are some of the most polluting and resource intensive industries in the world, responsible for over a third of worldwide timber harvest and 40% of all landfill waste in the U.S. However, great green alternatives are now available with post-consumer recycled paper, vivid soy ink prinking, and more.
West Coast printers like Greener Printer based in Berkeley sources from New Leaf Paper which uses recycled and sustainably-produced papers.
For larger posters and custom printing for trade shows or conferences, Stella Color in Seattle uses environmentally-friendly and biodegradable ECO materials for banners, gaiterboard, and more. The materials present mild but noticeable change to the colors, but outweighed by the benefits of materials that reduce your carbon footprint.
Many printers also use soy ink, made from that multi-purpose legume the soybean. Soy ink was originally popularized as a way of decreasing American dependence on OPEC-controlled oil in the 1970s. Today, it’s a non-toxic alternative to petroleum-based inks. And today, more than 90% of daily newspapers in the U.S. are printed with color soy ink for the simple reason that it performs as well or better than conventional ink. Cost may be a limiting factor, as black soy ink is about 25% more expensive than petroleum-based black ink but less ink is needed for the same amount of printing, yielding a net savings.