Q: A Ms. Rhonda Weiss from Baltimore, Maryland emails and asks: I’m very environmentally-friendly and want to reduce my Baltimore business’s carbon footprint, and I’m uncomfortable printing on paper from deforested trees. I still would like to have a brochure that I can hand out, though, how can I reconcile my negative feelings toward print? 

A: Thanks for your email, Ms. Weiss, and I’m grateful you asked such a timely and popular question! While being conscious of all of the messages floating around the internet and hearing all sorts of “experts” complaining about the impact of paper usage on the environment, you are smart to question what you’ve heard. And, asking your professional Baltimore printer is a great place to start.

Here are some facts you might consider when thinking that using less paper and more electronic communication will help the environment:

  • “Each year forests in the U.S and Canada grow significantly more wood than is harvested.”
  • “Between 1990 and 2015, forest area expanded in the U.S. from 746 to 766 million acres (2.6%). This is equivalent to an average growth rate of 1,660 NFL football fields per day.”
  • “Paper is made from a natural resource that is renewable, recyclable and compostable. These features, combined with the North American paper industry’s advocacy of responsible forestry practices and certification, use of renewable, carbon-neutral biofuels and advances in efficient papermaking technology, make paper a product with inherent and unique sustainable features.”
  • “If unchecked, ICT (digital) greenhouse gas emissions’ relative contribution could grow from roughly 1-1.6% in 2007 to exceed 14% of the 2016-level worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, accounting for more than half of the current relative contribution of the whole transportation sector. In comparison, the combined pulp, paper & print sector is one of the lowest industrial emitters at 1% of the world’s GHG emissions.

And, Ms. Weiss, for your question about handing brochures to clients and prospects at your business, here’s one for you:

  • “Even today not everyone is computer savvy or has access to a computer. An integrated marketing strategy that includes both print and on-line components spans preferences and generations and allows all to get the message.”

The bottom line is that you can and should feel confident in getting your brochure printed. It helps sustain the forests by encouraging paper use, helps the environment by using a fully recyclable material, and helps your clients, by providing them a choice of how they receive information about your Baltimore business.

We look forward to assisting you!

Quotes taken from: https://twosidesna.org/