Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Substrates: What is Green?

  The May edition of Digital Output magazine includes a sidebar to the article, “Answering the Riddle of Environmentally Friendly Media” by Gretchen A. Peck, featuring the question, “What is Green?”.  As the author explains:

  There is currently no unified definition of “green” media; however, there are several certifications available that help define what it means for a product to be green. 

  The Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership defines a “product” by the design aspects and input material management to create the finished item.

  According to SGP, the criteria for existing and new green substrates includes, but is not limited to, biodegradability, compostability, recyclability, recycled content - both pre- and post-consumer, virgin fiber paper source, petroleum-derived content, PVC-based content, and organic textile material content.
  
  Other organizations that offer certifications that deem media sustainable include the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, which offers GREENGUARD Certification and GREENGUARD Gold Standard – both ensure a product has met standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds into indoor air.  The Forest Stewardship Council certifies those paper manufacturers who can prove their product comes from responsibly managed sources. (p.29, Digital Output, May 2014)




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