Las Vegas Color Graphics

In this day and age of increasing environmental consciousness, green printing is becoming more popular.  Eco-friendly printing is, simply put, generating printed material with a minimal impact on the environment.

As the dominant species on the planet, humans are the stewards of the Earth. We should take this responsibility seriously.  Many people have been fed misinformation about green processes in general, and hopefully this article will clear up some misconceptions.

Printing Green with Recycled Paper

Printing green starts with using recycled paper. Thousands of acres of forest are cut down every year to produce paper products.  Recycling paper has become a mainstay for many businesses, but many still have not taken this step.

The only logical reason that an individual or a business would choose not to use recycled paper is simple lack of information.  Misconceptions still abound about the quality and price of recycled paper.  The fact of the matter is that recycled paper is no more expensive than virgin paper, nor is its quality any less.

Eco-Friendly Printing Using Organic Inks

One lesser-known aspect of eco-friendly printing is the use of organic inks.  Most common inks are petroleum based inks that are unfriendly to the environment.

They can leave volatile organic compounds (VOCs for short) in the soil and ground water.  These toxic agents are known to cause cancer and birth defects among humans and other creatures that are exposed to them. That’s only one reason businesses are using vegetable inks and soy based inks more and more often.

It’s a common misconception about “organic based anything” is that it will be higher cost and lower quality than traditional materials. But the facts are is that most organic inks are priced quite competitively.

Organic inks will adhere perfectly fine to paper, and will last just as long as the petroleum based ones.  Think of it this way:  Many of the ancient and rare books were written with organic inks, and the words written in them have lasted for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Green Printing Sends a Message about Your Business

Using green printing for your printing needs will send clients a message about your business.  It will show that you are a true steward of the earth, that you care about your children, your employees and their children, and overall, the future of this planet and humanity.

The only real reason to not choose to print green is lack of information.  Eco-friendly materials and processes are every bit as good as the non eco-friendly ones, and they can be just as cost-effective. In the end, there’s no real reason to choose anything but green printing.