|
The Green Press Initiative (GPI) has
request that the EpEN provide information about their program
for those individuals who wish to take action concerning environmental
responsibility in the printing industry.
GPI is working with religious publishers
to encourage them to use papers that are environmentally responsible
and serve to reduce pressure on Endangered Forests and communities
tied to them. This translates to the use of papers with a maximum
amount of recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
"virgin" fiber. GPI has put together a program to
get the publishers to change internal practices as well as to
influence their printers and mills to make changes. The publishers
have told GPI that it is important for them to hear from the
churches and their constituents that publishing bibles and other
religious books on environmentally responsible paper is important.
GPI has laid the groundwork for this
effort by reaching out to all the major bible and religious
publishers along with the mills that produce both lightweight
and regular trade paper. Further GPI has been working with trade
and educational publishers for several years to establish best
practices in paper use and production. To date, there are 98
US publishers who have made formal commitments to shift their
paper use to meet GPI recommended standards. As a result of
collective demand, the suppliers have produced over 20 new book
papers with environmental characteristics. Over 15 printers
are currently stocking them, including those serving religious
book publishers.
GPI offers the following facts for
consideration:
- On average, the U.S. book publishing
industry uses 1 million tons of paper, requiring the consumption
of 20 million trees annually.
- Many of these trees are coming
from Endangered Forests in Canada, Indonesia and the Southeastern
U.S. that contain irreplaceable biodiversity and are home
to many indigenous people.
- If the book industry converted
30% of its fiber use to recycled, it would save the equivalent
of 524 million pounds of greenhouse gases, 2.1 billion gallons
of water, 264 million pounds of solid waste, and 4.9 million
trees each year.
- Religious trade books are the fastest
growing segment of book publishing and part of their value
is to encourage stewardship of Creation.
GPI asks for you to write a letter
to the top religious publishers, asking them to change their
paper use practices. They have told us that its important to
hear from you. We will provide you with a letter template and
contact information .
GPI does not have information available
on their website for downloading. The following two GPI documents
of interest are available from EpEN as a download.
- a Flier
entitled "Advancing Environmental Innovation in the Book
Sector" (downloadable as a PDF)
- a Fact
Sheet, entitled "Environmentally Responsible Paper
for Bibles and Other Religious Books" (downloadable as
a MS-Word Document).
If you have any questions on the Green
Press Initiative, please contact Erin
Johnson at the GPI.
|
