Really Green - A Practical Guide
By Gail Nickel-Kailing on June 26th, 2008
Today’s mail brought a copy of Really Green by Debra Lynn Dadd. It’s a print-on-demand book, printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper on a Xerox iGen. Fits the bill of being a book that is produced by green processes, but it’s also a book about “green.”
Sometimes it’s easy to make assumptions (remember, that’s an “ass” in front of “u” and “me,” when you run it all together.) On first glance, I thought, “This is a book for consumers who are looking to buy green products for the home.” Not so. Or maybe I should say, not only… On a closer look, there is a lot of good information for businesses to apply as well.
A particularly interesting chapter is Chapter 3 - Life Cycle Analysis. Debra starts off the chapter with:
“When evaluating a product for environmental effects, there is more to it than just knowing if it saves energy or is made from recycled material. Products are multi-faceted and can benefit or harm the environment in a variety of ways throughout their existence. Life cycle analysis allows you to see the whole picture in one glance.”
The whole concept of “green” comes in many shades, and going through the exercise helps to examine products from six facets:
- Design
- Resources
- Manufacture
- Transport
- Use
- Disposal
The end result is a more complete picture of how really environmentally friendly a product is.
If you want to pick up your own copy, go to Oak Grove Omnimedia here>>
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6 Responses to “Really Green - A Practical Guide”
By Tim Lloyd on Jun 30, 2008 | Reply
I would like to suggest that the digital print production of the “Going Green” was not all that well thought through.
The iGen, while eliminating many materials and solvents that are used in the offset print manufacturing process, has its own issues…the largest being that the toner is comprised of millions of very tiny plasticized toner particles.
They are literally blasted into the paper, and render the printed piece useless, as far a recyclable item.
That doesn’t exactly strike me as a “green” solution!
Regards, Tim
By dave waibel on Jul 1, 2008 | Reply
actually it is recyclable, paper companys have been able to pulp uv inks for many years- the plastic comes off quite easily, and less fiber staining/bleaching, than conventional inked sheets.
By Pat Berger on Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
If the book was manufactured using inkjet technology then it has a series recyclability problem.
By Lisa Fox on Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
Following is a little more information about the Xerox iGen.
“Digital printing… uses dry toners. There are limited emissions to air from the process, no liquid emissions and no implications for the storage of new materials”
SOURCE: Environment Agency: NetRegs— Environmental Guidance for Your Business.
Xerox iGen Points: SOURCE: Graphics Communications Specialist, Xerox Corporation
When paper mills recycle an iGen print they get residue that can be put in a landfill and it will degrade. Residue from print generated by the offset process leaves a residue that is hazardous waste unless a printer is using biodegradable inks.
97% of components are recyclable or re-manufacturable: Dry inks are non-toxic and have closed containers with a transfer efficiency rate of near to 100%
More than 80%, by weight, of the waste generated by the iGen3 can be returned, reused, or recycled:
iGen3 emits 80% less noise than a typical offset press
There is NO generation or use of alcohols, chlorinated solvents, acids, and flammable materials.
By Tom Stodola on Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
I think the question to be asked is, does printing this piece, or any piece on a digital press create less greenhouse gasses, use less electricity and create less uncompostable landfill waste than if printed conventionally? If the answer is yes, then it is a good idea. In a printing company the largest single GHG component is electricity. If we are running our digital press for a shorter time, and not having to run a minimum over our desired order, I would think the answer is yes (again).
By John Conley on Jul 2, 2008 | Reply
The iGen is a dry toner system which is completely recyclable. Ink Jet is a very different process. Xerox is a recognized leader in its efforts to operate in an evniormentally responsible culture and last month was the first US Technology Company to be named by the EPA as a Performanc Track Corporate Leader a distinction which only 4 other companies in the US have achieved.