Paper - Sustainability

Veronica Tasnadi continues the design process by presenting us with another creative tool – PAPER – from the perspective of ‘Sustainability’ and how thinking green completes the creative result and helps protect the environment.

Green statistics Times have changed, and the Paper Industry is no longer the target of not being sustainable. “Paper is one of the few truly sustainable products around” – it starts life as tree — a 100% renewable natural resource which is purposely grown and harvested for paper. In Europe, recycling rates for paper reached 72 per cent in 2012 — the highest ever recorded. Currently, 49 per cent of all paper in Australia and 70 per cent in New Zealand are recovered to be re-used.

Environmental Advances in actual paper manufacturing industry: • Around the world planted forests now cover 264 million hectares. Since 1950, forests in Western Europe have actually increased by 30 per cent, whilst in EU countries forests continue to grow and now cover 42 per cent of the total land area. • As of the end of 2013, extensive replanting programs in China have seen forest areas in that country grow to cover 22 per cent. …38 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year, trapping the carbon in the wood and releasing the oxygen back into our atmosphere. You can breathe easier”

Energy used at manufacturing papermaking is energy-intensive using low energy operating platforms; this includes energy collected from wind and methane farms. Yes that is poo. A mill in US Mohawk use state-of-the-art stream plants installed reducing the amount of air pollutants.

• The commercial print industry position is at the lowest eco footprint of any industry thus far • Print media is still an important element in our lives from magazines to family photos to packaging food.

The print industry has taken huge steps to reduce the amount of waste and energy it produces. Over the last 20 years, the printing industry has reduced the carbon footprint by 97 per cent.

There are very few industries which have achieved anything like this. • The print industry is using mineral based inks to vegetable or soy-based inks. The Development of Computer

To Plate (CTP) technology has eliminated the need for film and its associated chemicals from the print process.

Changing over to water-based systems has also greatly reduced the reliance on solvents. Remote digital proofing has also helped reducing the amount of waste.

Sustainability “Sustainability means far more than the basic notion of ‘things persisting’ or being ‘green’. Sustainability encompasses environmental stewardship, conversation, and the balance of economic, environmental and social outcomes of human activity. It seeks to meet the economic, environmental and social needs of present and future generations. Addressing sustainability is of pressing importance that requires us to rethink our approach for our media related needs”. Designers take on the role to be informed and to educate clients on the use of using sustainable ‘paper’.

A FEW LINKS THAT MAY HELP & INSPIRE YOU!

www.bjball.com.au – full range of papers www.colorplanpapers.com – the new 50 shades of colour (download colour palette) www.thinkrecycled.com.au – ecoStar calculator – 100% recycled post-consumer waste FSC certified Carbon Neutral! They also distribute a range of substrates for interior design. Mactac is a brand of fabulous wall covering stock including over laminates to provide unique finishes.You can see a few of these on http://www.mactac.eu/creative-gallery-interior-decoration-13.htm

Recycled paper

Turning wood into pulp creates paper. Pulp is a cellulose fibrous substance that – when pressed together and dried — creates paper. The paper that results from the first batch of pulped wood is called virgin paper. Manufacturing recycled paper uses either post- or pre-consumer waste paper. Pre-consumer means pulp waste or by-product from paper manufacturing like off-cuts that have not been made into a consumable paper product. Post-consumer means the paper we put into our recycling bins. When recycled paper is made, this waste paper is reintroduced back into the pulping process. On average paper can be recycled 3-5 times before its fibres are exhausted. This happens because fibres in the pulp that holds the paper together break down and become too short to knit and bond together. The paper has no strength and will simply fall apart. To increase the life span of recycled paper, often virgin pulp or other materials (such as cotton waste) are added in to the recycled pulp. This helps strengthen the resulting recycled paper. Paper that started life as a high white writing pad will likely end as a low quality product such as an egg carton. There are innovative uses for exhausted waste paper — such as conversion to insulation materials.

When it comes to paper for commercial printing the rule of thumb is, the higher the virgin pulp component, the better the stock. But recycled papers have come a long way in the last 20 years. There are some superb recycled stocks available today that are high white and have excellent printability.

Print green

As designers we have a responsibility to ensure that our print media is as environmentally friendly as possible. Here are a number of things to consider: Print coating and laminates are not always the most friendly. Spot UV coating — is a synthetic product and does not easily break down. As an alternative, consider aqueous coating — water based so is much more environmentally sound. If you are thinking about embellishment think instead of embossing or die cutting, great for adding dimension to a design without chemicals or inks.

Choose Green Paper Look at environmental credentials of paper stock. Is the paper stock chain of custody certified (FSC® or PEFC), sourced from legally harvested Well Managed Forests or does it contain recycled material? Choose Green Print The economic cut off point between digital and offset varies from job to job. Digital ‘on-demand printing’ allows us to print in small quantities and to employ technological advances such as variable data capabilities, saving in prepress, paper and ink wastage as well as storage and transit costs. However, for larger print runs (usually in excess of 1000) — efficiency is the name of the game and offset printing is definitely the better option. Inks — old style petroleum-based and not renewable. Whereas soy based inks are both renewable and naturally low in VOCs, protecting the air and yet gives the same result as petroleum -based inks. Vegetable oil-based inks are also an effective alternative as they are biodegradable and made with renewable resources such as linseed, cottonseed, Tung, or china wood oil. Green Binding When it comes to the environment and binding methods, saddle stitching (metal staples) is a good green option. Wire rolls (wiro binding) and plastic combs (comb binding) are also recyclable once they have been separated from the printed paper.

Recycle, recycle, recycle…when it comes to printing a few simple choices can make a big difference to our planet.

SOURCE :: BJ BALLS PAPER

CASE STUDY

DESIGNER

Veronica Tasnadi

CREATIVE STUDIO

Veronica Graphic Design

CLIENT The Junction Works Limited

PROJECT eAnnual Report 2011 / 2012 / 2013 STOCK Digital - 100% Recycled Post consumer Waste Carbon Neutral

SPECS A4 / 18 pages including cover FINISH wiro binding MEDIA pdf for upload to website For years the client has produced a full printed version of his Annual Report. The board requested a more economic and sustainable option. The brief was to produce a condensed report, showcasing events, activities of the Centre and including the financial report. The final Report was saved as pdf file which was then uploaded to their website. Printed versions can be done on demand.

Veronica Tasnadi www.vgdesign.com.au