Green Printing: A Cost Effective Path to Environmental Friendliness (Part II)

Green Printing: A Better Solution

Green printing is seen to be the better, safer alternative that will allow the printing industry to become friendlier to the environment. There are many ways by which green printing can help alleviate the environmental crisis.

Reversal of Forest Denudation

Green printing forces companies to look for other sources of materials to produce paper aside from pulp processed from trees. As stated above, the creation of virgin paper is a huge contributor to the denudation of forests.

Through efforts of advocacy groups, other sources have been found for use as raw materials for making paper. These sources are more environmentally sustainable. Moreover, they yield paper products that are as durable and as high in quality as virgin paper. Among these new sources of raw paper materials are hemp, synthetics and reclaimed blue jean cotton (Hart 2005).

And then, there is always recycled paper and post-consumer waste (PCW) paper. Benson defines recycled paper as: "paper that contains different grades (10-100%) of recycled paper fibers. On the other hand, PCW paper is "recycled after used by a consumer and thrown away."

Reducing dependency on Petroleum

The second benefit is that green printing reduces dependence on petroleum which is a non-renewable resource. Petroleum is almost everywhere in the traditional printing process. It is used to power the printing presses and other equipment used in printing and in producing paper. Inks used in printing are often based on petroleum. The glues and adhesives utilized in binding paper are also derived from petroleum (Cook 2006).

Green printers are now making use of computers and equipment that are more energy-efficient. A few have even come to use wind-powered or solar-powered presses. Soy-based ink is also becoming a staple among companies that make use of green printing practices (Hart 2005).

Reducing Toxins and Waste materials release

Third, green printing reduces the levels of toxins and waste materials being released back into the environment. With green printers veering away from materials that release toxic chemicals and VOCs to the environment, which lead to health problems among workers in printing presses and the general populace, there is hope that these problems will eventually go away.

While the solutions that green printing poses are not as dramatic at first glance as one might expect them to be, their impact over time indeed promises to be fruitful. What is needed, however, is a conscious effort to practice green printing continuously and consistently.

Companies and Individuals can both benefit from Green Printing

As great as green printing may sound, what benefit does it actually hold for companies and individuals? Are these benefits enough to entice them to practice green printing?

The concept of green printing has been around for a number of years now, and while an increasing number of companies are embracing the practice, there still exist a number of myths and misconceptions about it.

One misconception about green printing is that recycled or PCW paper is not as good in quality as virgin paper, nor is it as durable. That is certainly not true. Not all recycled or PCW paper products are brown in color. There are types of processes that can make them appear as white and as durable as virgin paper (Cook 2005).

Another myth held by the majority of the public is that the usage of recycled or PCW will not yield high-quality printouts, unlike those made with virgin paper. Again, this is not true. A printout made with recycled or PCW paper can be virtually indistinguishable from a printout using virgin paper.

A third myth about green printing is that it is more expensive than regular printing. While it is true that green printing can sometimes cost more, the reason for this merely has to do with supply and demand (Cook 2005). Presently, the demand for recycled and PCW paper is not as high as the demand for virgin paper is. When the demand for recycled and PCW paper becomes higher than virgin paper, a lowering in costs can be seen, because producing recycled and PCW paper costs less and consumes less energy.

Moreover, printing companies that are dedicated to green printing take the time to educate their clients about the merits and cost-efficiency of green printing. They even go so far as to suggest how to decrease the cost of the printing jobs commissioned from them.

Besides being environmentally conscious, going green can help to reduce printing costs. It should be noted; however, that green printing is not just about the paper being used but also how the paper and the equipment for printing on paper are used.

A common practice in green printing is reducing the margins and spaces on printed documents, as well as compressing or eliminating filler pages like title pages or the table of contents. Using both sides of the paper is also desirable in green printing. In doing so, less paper is consumed, and thus, a decrease in the cost of maintaining a paper supply is seen.

Makower asserted that the best practice in green printing is no printing. Digitalization, the creation of portable document files (PDFs), and paperless communication through emails and instant messaging are still the most environmentally-sustainable and cost-effective practices that people can adopt.

Conclusion

But inasmuch as people and companies still cannot totally eliminate paper from their daily usage, green printing presents itself as a viable alternative. Green printing is not only an exercise in environmental responsibility, but it is also an effective means of bringing down costs of office supplies. If people and companies cannot worry too much about the environment, then the cost-effectiveness of green printing will at least get their attention.

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6 Things You Should Know About Candle Making: A Greener Way

I just wanna share with you this article i have come across while browsing on how to start candle making as home business. To be honest, i have no idea that candle making posses a threat to our environment. Here is the full article:

"Did you know that the candles you are burning could be harming the environment or worse, you and your family, especially if they contain lead core wicks? Before lighting or buying another candle be sure to read the research information we have gathered and find out why our soy candles are a healthier, greener choice.

• Soy wax burns cleaner resulting in less toxins for you, your children and pets to breathe, not to mention not damaging your home with black soot all over walls, ceilings, drapes, carpets, furniture and electronics
• Soy wax is non-toxic and over time it won’t harm the environment making soy candles a “greener” choice
• Soy wax burns cooler providing a 20% - 50% longer burn time so you get more for your money
• Stronger scent throw cold and while burning means a more prominent scent throughout your home or office
• Soy beans are a renewable resource and are grown in the USA which support american farmers and the american economy
• Soy wax will clean up with soap and hot water

Based on our research we believe that Soy Wax is a better, safer alternative t paraffin waz candles. While many may argue the facts, we still feel that since paraffin wax comes from petroleum or slack wax if you will, which is the left over sludge from making fuel and oil which contains toxins. Slack Wax is very toxic in its rare form and paraffin wax is made from refining slack wax. Although the refining process reduces the toxins to FDA "Safe Levels", paraffin in abundance and over time could still pollute the environment and be dangerous to our health. True, paraffin wax is biodegradable but its what it leaves behind that's the problem. Before making your next candle purchase please visit our Soy Facts page to help you form your own opinions regarding soy and paraffin waxes."

I hope this article will reach to people who are fond of making candles either as a hobby or as business. We will go hand in hand in protecting and saving our environment for our children and children's future! Please send this article to all your friends who are making candles.

By choosing Soy Candles you are helping the future of our environment. Are you doing your part?

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Basic Things You Should Know About Renewable Energy And Its Importance

I'd like to post this basic information about sources of energy since not all of us know where our energy comes from and its forms. What are the effects to our environment when an energy is produced and used and why it is important to conserve!

Sources of Energy:

1. Renewable energy is an energy generated from natural resources which are renewable (naturally replenished) or can never be exhausted.

We can obtain renewable energy from the sun (solar energy), from the water (hydropower), from the wind (windmills), from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs (geothermal) and even from firewood, animal manure, crop residues and waste (Biomass).

In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, such as wood-burning. Hydroelectricity was the next largest renewable source, providing 3% (15% of global electricity generation), followed by solar hot water/heating, which contributed 1.3%. Modern technologies, such as geothermal energy, wind power, solar power, and ocean energy together provided some 0.8% of final energy consumption.

2. Non-renewable energy comes from sources that can’t be replenished in a short period of time. We get most of our energy from nonrenewable energy sources, which include fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, coal and from nuclear energy.

They are considered non-renewable because once they are removed from the ground and used, they are not immediately replaced.

Why it is important to conserve energy?

All of us use energy every day – for entertainment, cooking, transportation, lighting, heating and cooling homes, manufacturing, etc. We consume a lot of energy.

When energy is produced from non-renewable fuels, to heat our homes or power our cars for example, pollutants are released into the air contaminating the air we breathe and water too. The more energy we use or miles we drive in our cars, the more energy power plants must produce or gasoline our cars burn, releasing more pollutants into the air.

Aside from that, the world's natural gas, crude oil and coal deposits took millions of years to form. Uranium, which is used for nuclear energy, has limited supply as well. Humans will have used up most of these deposits in less than 200 years. Once they are gone, non-renewable energy supplies cannot be replaced within human time scales.

By conserving energy we can lower the amount of pollutants we release into the air and water and thereby help to keep our environment clean. Additionally, if we use less energy we can save money on our electric bill or reduce the amount of money we spend on gasoline. So you can help the environment and save money at the same time!

Additionally, we can use energy sources that are clean and efficient. For example, wind and solar energy generate electricity without polluting the air. Another example is soybeans, which we can use to produce biodiesel. Biodiesel can be blended with regular diesel fuel or used all by itself to fuel tractors, buses and trucks. These types of energy are friendly to our environment and help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which cannot be replenished.

Why is renewable energy important today?

Energy Price Stability
In the last three years, we have seen large fluctuations in the cost of natural gas, oil, and electricity due to global economics, market deregulation, and political events in some parts of the world. Renewable energy is not subject to sharp price changes because it comes from sources such as sunshine, flowing water, wind, and biological waste, all of which are free. This gives people greater certainty about the cost of energy, which is good for society and the economy. By comparison, fossil fuels are limited in their supply, and their price will increase as they become scarcer.

Clean Air
Air pollution is a major problem in many cities in Canada and around the world. The biggest cause of air pollution in cities is the burning of fossil fuels, including fuels used for transportation. The Canadian federal government estimates that more than 16,000 Canadians die prematurely each year from diseases caused by air pollution. Thousands more suffer from long-term sicknesses and disabilities. The great advantage of using renewable energy in place of fossil fuels is that renewable energy adds very few pollutants to the environment. Renewable energy is considered "clean" and "green." Climate change may cause the world-wide spread of diseases such as malaria, which is carried by mosquitoes.

Protecting Global Climates
When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide. This gas acts like an invisible blanket, trapping more of the sun's energy in the atmosphere, causing the Earth to warm up little by little. Carbon dioxide is building up in the atmosphere as more and more fossil fuels are used in homes, factories, and automobiles. If this continues, most scientists think our planet is likely to become significantly warmer, which could cause many serious problems around the world. These problems could include melting of arctic ice, increased forest fires, rising sea levels, loss of animal habitat, damage to coral reefs, the spreading of tropical diseases, expanding deserts, and more frequent and severe storms.

Protecting Landscapes and Watersheds
Some energy projects, particularly big coalmines, hydro dams, and oil and gas activities, can have a large impact on lands and watersheds. Damage or loss of natural lands and watersheds is likely to affect humans and animals. For example, wilderness areas could be lost for when energy resources are extracted. Hydro dams can flood large areas, while the facilities associated with oil and gas and oilsands development can affect forests and disrupt animal movements and migrations. On the other hand, solar energy can provide a continuous supply of energy, which is integrated directly into buildings so that it has very little impact on land use. Run-of-river hydro plants can be designed to allow for free flow of existing streams.

Unlimited Supplies
Renewable energy supplies will never run out. While the supplies of coal, oil, and natural gas are limited, sunshine, wind, biomass, and water power are considered almost limitless resources. Canada's coal supply is expected to last 200 years, and natural gas about 100 years. Our large, untapped supplies of wind, sun, water, and biomass can power our society indefinitely.

Jobs and the Economy
Renewable energy can be developed in such a way that every household or neighbourhood could have its own renewable power generating equipment. This would create many new jobs for people involved in setting up and maintaining this energy supply, and in manufacturing the equipment. It is also more efficient to produce renewable energy in small amounts right where it is needed. The energy losses and equipment needed to transmit power over long distances can also be minimized in this way.

Available resources for you:

• Beating Energy Cost - DIY Power Plans
• A Beginners Guide To Solar Panels
• Manual Guide on How To Build Your Own Solar Power System AND Wind Power System for under $200!
• Build and Install Your Own Wind Power System
• Build Your Very Own Solar Power System
• Build Your Own Wind Generator - Wind Generator Plans
• Free Power For You
  

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