The New Era of Sustainable Print

For corporate communications executives, it is easy to assume that using alternative electronic media (e-mails, podcasts, websites, or even television) are naturally greener. Reduction of print is an easy target, but in reality, e-media alternatives have a far greater environmental impact than is commonly believed. Consider this, while the paper industry is the U.S.’s second largest user of electricity, with consumption of 75 billion kilowatt hours in 2006, data centers and servers were not far behind, having consumed 61 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. And, since print volumes are declining, while the use of data centers is projected to double in five years, and the disposal of electronic goods is the fastest growing cause of toxic waste, this is far from a safe alternative.