University Publications is going green. As we convert projects into environmentally friendly publications, we are doing our part to preserve our natural resources. Below you will find some steps you can take when thinking about producing a print piece. Also, check out our glossary of green terms and marks.
Can you be more environmentally friendly with your printed publications?
Ask yourself if your project can be created in a different way…
- Can your project be sent to your audience as a PDF, e-newsletter, e-postcard?
- Can you utilize web-based marketing instead?
If you decide a printed piece is your best option, consider these guidelines for going green with your next printed publication, whether it’s a newsletter, direct mail postcard, poster, or brochure.
For Design and Production:
Make the best use of paper.
- Reduce mailing lists
- Select a standard or smaller size sheet for brochures and flyers
- Be concise in your message
- Avoid full-page ink bleeds and instead, design your project with white borders, which require no trimming and less paper waste
Use ink wisely.
- Use fewer inks, or utilize spot colors for innovative designs and less ink coverage
- Avoid metallic and fluorescent inks when possible
- Make use of digital proofs to eliminate excessive paper waste
- Opt for vegetable-based inks, which are more environmentally friendly and are an alternative to petroleum-based inks
- Choose environmentally friendly design elements, such as embossing and die-cutting, instead of varnish and spot colors
Choose the best paper.
- Opt for 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) paper
- Use uncoated paper for easy recycling
- Consider FSC- or SFI-certified paper stocks, which are managed natural resources
- Group multiple print jobs together to take advantage of bulk paper and ink costs, to reduce paper use, and to lower the number of make-readies and printing plates
Bindery
- Incorporate fewer folds into your projects to reduce waste
- Avoid laminated paper, which is difficult and expensive to recycle