Issue 98, 29/07/08

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With the printing industry under increasing pressure to adopt environmentally friendly processes, there has been an increased focus on how advertisers can change the way they manage their printing needs and reduce their impact on the environment.

So in this edition of TrinityP3 e-news, Chris Sewell shares with you the Top 10 ways carbon emissions affect your printing requirements.

Carbon impacts on print management

To ensure you make the right changes to have a positive impact on your marketing and the environment, here are our Top 10 ways that carbon emissions affect your printing requirements:

1. Paper. Manufacturing of paper stock is the biggest cause of carbon in the supply chain. It accounts for over 70% of the footprint in most printing processes. Reviewing your paper stock specifications to a lower carbon emitting paper is the quickest way to reduce your footprint. Do not be misled by the carbon neutral label. Ask about the energy source.

2. The printing process. ‘Carbon neutral’ does not mean you have a carbon efficient printer. The printing process with it’s electrically driven equipment accounts for another 10% of the carbon. And while it’s a smaller impact than paper, it is the one decision you can influence the most. Ask about audits, measurement and reduction strategies.

3. How your printer deals with waste will have approximately the same percentage impact as the printing process. Newspaper production produces about 10% of it’s emissions from the transport of waste, returns and collections. Commercial printing does not have returns and collection but waste is still created if the product has a limited life-span.

4. Distribution of the printed item accounts for about 5% of the carbon. Distance and weight are the factors that affect this area. Review the feasibility of printing locally.

5. Transport of the paper to the printer and the carbon cost of ink production. Imported paper may have a lower carbon footprint but what did it cost in carbon to get it here?

6. Warehousing needs a re-think. Time in a warehouse will cost carbon. While the economics of print more and store or print for pull distribution were correct historically, in the Carbon Age, print on-demand needs to be looked at again.

7. Obsolescence. While no one sets out to print and destroy, it happens. And the cost has moved beyond the wasted money, the wasted carbon needs to be factored in as well. One approach is to review the re-print triggers to check whether the approval procedures for re-orders need changing.

8. If moving printing requirements offshore consider the carbon factor. Strike a more equitable balance between direct cost savings and increased carbon costs for transport.

9. Beware of the carbon neutral shingle hanging out front. Carbon neutral does not mean carbon efficient. Measured and continuous carbon reduction is what is required.

10. Contact TrinityP3. Christopher Sewell can help you with an independent strategic review of your current and future print needs and help you match to suitable suppliers. Find the lowest carbon print management solution by contacting us and repositioning your company in the Carbon Age.

The service is spreading

TrinityP3 now offers a range of green marketing services, including:
1. Environmental Strategy
Aligning marketing practice and impact with organisational environmental strategy.
2. Green reduction
Undertaking reduction strategies and reducing waste and environmental costs associated with your marketing.
3. Green Assessments
Assessing the current environmental impact of your marketing activities across media and production.
Click here to read more about TrinityP3's green marketing servcies.

And the TrinityP3 green word is spreading globally; our latest article "Tracking the carbon footprint of your marketing campaign" has featured in Green Media's latest newsletter and Chris Sewell and Darren Woolley will both speak at this year's Green Media Conference & Expo in Boston on October 1 and 2. Click here to find out more about the Conference.

The war is over and film is dead

Recently posted on the TrinityP3 blog, Darren Woolley has added to the debate of film versus digital video, with a film on YouTube from AH Films featuring Hitler as a frustrated TVC film director.

Darren Woolley commented, "For all those production companies and agency creative people who still insist on shooting 35 mm film or 16 mm film instead of high definition digital video, this latest posting on YouTube from AH Films puts another nail in your coffin. Holding on to out-dated practices long after the rest of the industry moves on is not innovative, is not leading edge and is not creative." Click here to comment.

Protecting brands

Which Chinese anti-copying laws are actually stricter and upheld better than Australia's? Why does Ebay have to remove fake Louis Vuitton bags but not fake Tiffany rings? Can Asics stop Steve Madden from selling striped shoes? Why can't fashion designer Joseph Abboud use his own name?

These are just some of the recent brand protection cases covered on 'Protecting Brands', a blog dedicated to helping businesses understand how intellectual property laws affect them. Using current case studies, expert intellectual property lawyer Trevor Choy explains the laws and their implications in plain English.