It's Not Easy Being Green San Jose CA

Green has become the new buzzword, the new "black" so to speak. You see it everywhere. Fortune 500 companies are freely talking about their conservation efforts. There are energy efficient bulbs, alternate energy sources, electric cars, and bio diesel fuel.

According to a recent Cone Corporate Citizenship Study, 93 percent of Americans believe companies have a responsibility to preserve the environment. Eighty-five percent said they would consider switching products or services if they found out a company has negative corporate responsibility practices. During the last year, 47 percent have actually purchased environmentally friendly goods and services. And 72 percent are willing to pay more for an environmentally sound purchase if it will save them money in the long run, while 58 percent will even pay more if the product has a health benefit.

It seems consumers are beginning to put their money where their mouth is.

But what about the print industry? Many companies are still using traditional or conventional equipment, that—let's face it—might not be environmentally friendly. For those in all-digital shops, you may think you don't have to worry all that much about it, but depending on the ink you use and the substrates you print on—and where you are in the country—there might be a cause for concern. Maybe you're not in one of the stricter locales when it comes to VOC emission restrictions and regulations, but going green is more than just meeting certain environmental guidelines. For many firms, it is a matter of corporate policy, and a way of life for their company—and in turn, it is beginning to bring in large dividends for some.

In this issue, we have a sixteen page section dedicated exclusively to sustainability and the green movement within the wide-format industry. We examine the best practices of wide-format print providers across the country as they turn to green practices and policies. We also delve into what green certification means, and how it can benefit manufacturers—and the industry as a whole—and highlight a few of the green products currently on the market.

Are you going green? I'd love to hear your story and your experience. Please contact me at denise@wide-formatimaging.com, or stop and talk to me at Graph Expo (before or after my presentation about the Opportunities in Wide-Format) or at SGIA. It's your best practices, your experiences, that will help to shape the environmentally friendly future of the wide-format industry—from products to services, to energy-saving techniques.

Are you going green? It might be easier to do than you think.

"Green solutions and environmentally conscious production methods are increasingly being required and will be an essential ingredient for any graphics company to have continued success in the future. Companies that offer these solutions combined with everything else will have a huge advantage over the competition."
—Barry Polan, director of sales, Crush Creative