Print that doesn't cost the Earth

Greta Thunberg said, "I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.” The World as we know it is rapidly changing and we all have to do what we can to stop it from getting worse; from killing sea life with our plastic bags and overheating the planet so that the icebergs are melting, it’s not good and it’s our fault.

But we can all make a positive difference; we just have to act. And that is exactly what Edit have done through our membership with paper advocacy group, Two Sides. We are acting out against irresponsible and unsustainable print, and we are against people turning their back on printed media because of the myth that it’s bad for our environment our planet.

Through much education and working with Two Sides, we at Edit have learnt that print can make a positive difference to the world which is great news for us and our clients for whom print media is a core part of their marketing and communications strategy.

“Go Paperless”, “Go Green” and “Save Trees” are common messages seen these days as many organisations encourage their customers to switch to electronic transactions and communications. But is digital marketing as green as we are led to believe? It’s harder to measure the impact of digital communications on the planet, but there are countless examples of how this is not a truly sustainable option.

The electronic waste problem is colossal, and it’s growing. In 2016 alone, 44.7 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally, of which 435 thousand tonnes were mobile phones, representing more than the mass of the Empire State Building.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2018

Paper is based on wood, a natural and renewable material. It is the ultimate sustainable material, reinforced by the fact that European forests have been growing by over 1,500 football pitches every day. By only sourcing paper from FSC approved forests, we are ensuring forests are not sacrificed for our marketing. And beyond the paper, we can source vegetable inks, electric vehicles for transportation, even paper mills run on water power, it is all possible if you want it to be.

And on top of that, you can balance (offset) the carbon impacts of your printed media campaign by donating to the World Land Trust using Carbon Balanced Paper. The carbon emissions of the paper used in the campaign will be calculated and will be offset via a small donation to World Land Trust. One of its patrons is none other than Sir David Attenborough who has said of the World Land Trust; “The money that is given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything I can think of.”

So please, get in touch with us and see how you can make your printed media more sustainable. It’s our duty to protect our planet for the future.

Sarah Burns, Head of Media Solutions

sarah.burns@edit.co.uk