Sustainable Print is the TRUTH ??? Can You Say the Same about Electronic Media?

(VeteransFranchise.com) - By Stephanie. Updated May 25, 2016

Sustainable Print is the TRUTH … Can You Say the Same about Electronic Media?

One of the biggest myths about the printing industry is that print on paper is not an environmentally friendly form of communication. The other big misconception is that electronic media and wireless communications have sustainable advantages over print and paper. Both of these are unsubstantiated claims that are easily dispelled when one take a closer look at all of the facts.

In this series of Infographics, the Minuteman Press Franchise Reviewtakes a look at how sustainable print is simply the TRUTH:

Infographic 1: High Recovery Rate of Paper

According to a 2016 fact sheet issued by Two Sides North America, paper is one of the most recycled products in the world, beating out plastics, glass and metals. Two Sides also reports that 'the U.S. paper recovery rate rose from 63.5% in 2013 to 66.8% in 2015, the highest reading ever recorded.' By comparison, in 1990, the paper recovery rate was 33.5%. Two Sides also indicates that the American Forest & Paper Association wants to increase the recovery rate even further, to '70% by 2020.'

Infographic 2: Electronic Media's Carbon Footprint is Anything But Green

FACT: Going paperless does NOT mean going green, and 8 in 10 American consumers agree.

Research conducted by Two Sides NA reports that 80% of U.S. consumers believe that these unsubstantiated claims made by businesses who are begging their customers to 'go paperless' in order to 'save trees' and 'protect the environment' is nothing more than 'marketing hype' that is driven by 'cost savings.'

FACT: According to estimates, small network equipment in American homes 'consumed more than $1 billion worth of electricity in 2012, equivalent to the output of three large (500 MW) coal fired power plants. This resulted in 5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions or the annual tailpipe emissions of 1.1 million vehicles.' (Source: Two Sides NA via Natural Resources Defense Council, 2013)

Infographic 3: 'It's okay to print this email...'

Based on the facts, one can easily see that sustainable print is the truth. It is not always easy to counter incorrect messaging that is wrongfully associated with an industry, but it is only right to try. That is why there are so many printing industry advocates who are working hard to promote the true facts about print sustainability.

One Minuteman Press franchise owner has added the following postscript to his emails, which helps dispel the misconceptions of print and paper in a clear, concise, and clever way:

'It's okay to print this email. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, recyclable and sustainable product made from trees. Trees are a harvestable crop, no different than wheat or corn and vital to the American economy as well as the environment.'

The message concludes, 'Not printing this email does absolutely nothing to save the planet or forests.'

This email signature is backed up by the fact that paper comes from tree farms that are managed by landowners and pose no threat to rainforests, jungles or animal life. Paper Because reports that 'for every tree harvested, several more are planted or naturally regenerated in their place.' The report continues, 'According to the USDA Forest Service, four million trees are planted every day in the United States. Of this amount, the wood and paper products industry plants on average 1.7 million trees daily.'

So the next time you are asked to go paperless, keep these facts in mind.

And, of course, feel free to print this article.

Want to know how print can help your business? Find your local Minuteman Press at www.minutemanpress.com.

Learn more about Minuteman Press printing franchise opportunities at www.minutemanpressfranchise.com.