As our activities involve printing and publishing we are very aware that we need to make all the progress we can to minimise our impact in this resource hungry area. As such we have a separate, more detailed Print Policy.
Internal:
- Avoid printing out of emails.
- Use recycled stock printer paper.
- Purchase new printers with ‘sleep’ function to cut energy use.
- Printer cartridge use reduction, design studio has reduced printing so toner usage has reduced from 1 set of cartridges every 6 weeks to 1 set every 3 months. Colour print only when required, printing in mono wherever possible.
- Colour print outs only when needed for client facing documents.
- Re use of paper with both-side printing for drafting and client documents where appropriate and re-use of used paper for written note taking.
- Scanning and email of documentation to reduce paper consumption and reduce postage.
- Programme of paper use reduction for design studio - usage has gone from 5 reams per month to under 1 ream.
External
- Engage printers with sound environmental ethos around resource use, FSC managed stocks and recycled stock – currently Colour Options, Elvington.
- Using recycled paper stock with minimal bleach used in recycling process, if bright white stock required we will use FSC managed stock, whereby a minimum of two trees is planted for every one felled and considerably lessened environmental impact due to less bleach used in the process of making new high white coated paper than high white recycled paper.
- Undertake regular print buying strategy and review with clients to help educate and ensure minimal wastage of stock.
- On longer print runs we aim to source litho printers you are using low impact print techniques, for example: dry litho, environmentally friendly digital inks, formal recycling policies, signed up to Dept. of Environment paper schemes.
- Printing within the UK to reducing delivery miles.
- When producing with larger display printing, pull-up banners etc. we source biodegradable material and water-based inks. We also encourage clients to invest banner pop-ups which have the ability to replace graphics when needed rather than replacing the whole pop-up unit.