Mother’s Day Memories

A few years ago, I was faced with the task of cleaning out my mother’s house after she passed away.   While difficult, it led me to a wonderful discovery.  Tucked away in her attic was large, metal footlocker that I had never seen before.   In it was a treasure trove of memories … all on paper.

Unknown to me, mom kept every card and letter I had sent her since childhood.   She had even tucked away a series of silly little notes we had exchanged about my “first boyfriend” in elementary school.   I also found pieces of my life that I thought were long gone – my baptismal certificate, school projects and short stories that I had written as a budding young writer in junior high school.   She had also clipped every mention of me in print, from by-lined articles to news stories where I was quoted as spokesperson.   In addition, I found family photos and never-before-seen documents that helped shed an interesting light on her ancestry.

As I looked through these items again recently, I wondered how many cherished mother-daughter memories would have been lost if they originated on a computer.  What today’s electronic world gives us in speed and geographic reach just can’t replace the visceral experience of holding a loved one’s very personal mementos in your hands.   Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t live without my computer.  But the value of paper in our lives shouldn’t be underestimated.

And by the way, don’t forget to mail your mom a Mother’s Day card this week … and write a nice note inside.  She’ll enjoy opening it and years from now you may find, as I did, that it means much more to her than you think!

Kathi Rowzie is Two Sides guest blogger.  She is a sustainability communications consultant with The Gagliardi Group in Memphis, TN.

Print and Paper Have a Great Environmental Story to Tell …So how do we tell it more effectively?

Study after study shows that the public is skeptical about environmental marketing claims, and that’s understandable. Unlike claims about product usefulness, reliability or comparative value, most environmental claims – like “going paperless saves trees” – can’t be substantiated firsthand by consumers.  They must depend on outside sources for validation.  For companies and individuals across the graphic communications supply chain, this presents both a challenge – to correct misleading claims about the sustainability of print and paper, and an opportunity – to communicate the medium’s true environmental value.

What’s the key to environmental communications that build trust?   The case for the sustainability of paper is rooted firmly in science, and quoting authoritative sources unleashes that inherent credibility.   Certainly, how you present the facts matters, too.   Provide context, communicate in language people understand and be as detailed as necessary, but get to the point quickly.  Don’t be tempted to overstate your case by adding information that’s not relevant to your audience.  And of course, integrate your company’s mission and brand identity into any communication to both reinforce your sustainability commitment and differentiate your message.

One of the hardest parts of delivering effective green communications is tracking down the most relevant and recent supporting facts, especially if your business does not have dedicated sustainability or communications staff.   This is where Two Sides can help.  The Two Sides U.S. website, www.twosides.us, is a treasure trove of information about the sustainability of print and paper.  From reports and studies to fact sheets and current news, the website includes the information you need, including links to original sources, to develop credible communications and to respond to today’s common misperceptions about the sustainability of print and paper.

Does paper manufacturing cause deforestation?  Is electronic communication really more environmentally responsible than printed media?   Whether you’re a seasoned environmental pro or a novice who wants to learn the issues, the Two Sides searchable database has something to add to everyone’s sustainability communications arsenal.

There are no better ambassadors for the sustainability of print and paper than those whose bread and butter depend on healthy forests, responsible manufacturing, and paper recovery and recycling.   It’s up to everyone in the graphic communications supply chain to help spread the word about the sustainability or print and paper,  and now the resources to help you do it effectively are just a mouse click away!

Kathi Rowzie, The Gagliardi Group

Senior Sustainability Communications Consultant

Sixteen Allied Organizations Join Two Sides to Help Promote the Sustainability of Print and Paper

Two Sides U.S. is pleased to announce that we have formed alliances with the following trade organizations, industry groups, academic institutions and industry news services:

• American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA)  – www.catalogmailers.org
• American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) – www.afandpa.org
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo – Graphic Communication Department – www.grc.calpoly.edu
• Consumers for Paper Options – www.paperoptions.org
• Envelope Manufacturers Association – www.envelope.org
• Gravure Association of America, Inc. – www.gaa.org
• NPTA Alliance – www.gonpta.org
• Paper Technology Foundation, Western Michigan University – www.wmich.edu/wmuptf
• Print Buyers International – www.printbuyersinternational.com
• Print Media Centr – www.printmediacentr.com
• Print Services and Distribution Association (PSDA) – www.psda.org
• Printing Industries of America (PIA) – www.printing.org
• Printing Industry Association – Southern California – www.piasc.org
• TAPPI – www.tappi.org
• The Institute for Sustainable Communication – www.sustainablecommunication.org
• What They Think? – www.whattheythink.com

Over the past four months we’ve talked with many groups who are strong supporters of our mission: to promote the responsible production and use of print on paper, including its sustainable features. Many of these organizations have joined Two Sides and are helping us spread our network in the U.S., and educate more people on the environmental, social and economic benefits of print and paper.  We look forward to developing close working relationships with all these groups, and hopefully many more.

 Phil Riebel

President & COO, Two Sides U.S.

“Greening” laptops by making them out of paper. Some people get it!

Paper laptop outer casing design by Je Sung Park. From Yanko Design website.

Amidst the numerous anti-paper and print messages like “Go paperless – save a tree” from companies encouraging us to choose the digital options (ex: e-billing), it is refreshing to see that some organizations understand the unique environmental features of paper.  They understand the fact that paper comes from a renewable resource that can be sustainably managed, and they get the fact that it is highly recyclable and recycled unlike many other materials we use today to manufacture the hundreds of millions of electronic gadgets we use (i.e. metals, plastics, fossil fuels, etc…).   In other words, paper has unique features that categorize it as a long-term sustainable material, as long as it is produced and used responsibly (as all products should).

It pleases me even more when the people that “get it” are servicing the electronics industry itself!  Yes, they are starting to make laptops out of paper, and marketing them as “green”.

A Chinese design company called PEGA D&E has created a new product called Paper PP Alloy to replace the plastic shelling used in laptop computers – the part that is often made of non-recyclable ABS plastic.  Paper PP Alloy is made by combining paper and polypropylene. Compared to plastic, the materials needed to make it are easy to retrieve and they can be molded using injection molding method.  In other words, there is no need to change the laptop manufacturing process. They claim it is strong, sturdy, environmentally friendly and inexpensive to make.  As quoted on their website: “The material for the future: Recyclable, Reusable.”

Another company called Yanko Design is marketing and selling a laptop outer casing made of recyclable paper and pulp designed by Je Sung Park.  As noted in an article by gizmag: “Generally, a laptop is upgraded every two years, resulting in an abundance of disposed computers, or ‘e-waste’. E-waste is a significant problem worldwide – in 2007, only 18% of the estimated 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones and computer products disposed of in the U.S. was recycled. The rest ended up as landfill. Je Sung Park’s concept design makes the upgrade process both inexpensive and guilt-free. Because the casing is made from pulp and reprocessed materials, it could easily be broken down when disposed of. The design features layers of the paper materials allowing the user the ability to replace any damaged portions.”

I should also mention the growing wood-plastic composite market, where wood fiber is being blended with plastics to make the final product more recyclable and more renewable.  These materials are considered by some to be a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.  Some companies, such as UPM-Kymmene, are also marketing the lower carbon footprint advantage of these composite products.

So it seems that the environmental features of wood fiber, pulp and paper are gradually being recognized as an effective method to make products more renewable, more recyclable and with a lower carbon footprint.  Perhaps even more so if these materials are sourced responsibly and come from well managed North American forests.

Phil Riebel

Two Sides U.S., Inc.

A response to “paperless” environmental claims

Over the past year, colleagues and members have sent me numerous “anti-paper and print” environmental claims  from companies and individuals.  They range from large corporations promoting e-billing to “save trees and the planet” to e-mail taglines that urge people not to print to “help the environment”.  Many of these claims are considered misleading by those in the paper and print sectors who are familiar with the environmental features and life-cycle of print and paper products.

Two Sides has drafted a short letter for anyone to use in response to potentially misleading claims related to the use of print and paper.  The letter is included below and is also available as a PDF file.  Use it as you see fit.

_________________________________

Dear [INSERT NAME],

I noticed your statement about “going green” [OR INSERT RELEVANT STATEMENT] by avoiding the use of paper and print.  There are many factors to consider in determining whether paperless solutions have less negative impacts on the environment and our society. Please consider the following facts when making choices and statements related to print and paper.

1. Going electronic is not necessarily “greener” than print and paper.  The direct impact of electronic products and services replacing paper is far from negligible, and the trade-off between the two depends on how often we use them, the source of energy and how we dispose of the products [1].
2. Paper is made from renewable resources, and responsibly produced and used paper has many advantages over other, non-renewable alternative materials [2].
3. Paper is the most recycled material that we use [3].
4. It is made with a high percentage of renewable energy [4].
5. Over the last 50 years, the volume of trees growing on U.S. forestland increased 49% [5] .
6. The amount of U.S. forestland has remained essentially the same for the last 100 years [6].
7. The manufacture of forest products in the U.S. supports and promotes well-managed forests that provide many environmental, social and economic benefits [7].
8. Paper has unique features that make it a preferred choice for reading and storage of documents for 70% of Americans [8].
9. The livelihood of 8.7 million Americans depends on our U.S. mail industry, including the production of print and paper [9].
10. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates misleading environmental claims or “greenwashing” [10].   The FTC states that “environmental marketing claims should not, expressly or by implication, exaggerate the environmental impact of the product or service advertised.  In addition, all those who make environmental claims must possess, at the same time the claims are made, substantiation for each such claim [11].”

Given the above facts, please consider changing or removing your environmental statement regarding print and paper or contact me to discuss this matter in more detail.  If you would like more information on the sustainability of print and paper, see www.twosides.us.

Thank you for your attention.

---

1. Arnfalk, P., 2010
2. TAPPI Paper University ;  WWF, 2010
3. U.S. EPA, 2010 ; AF&PA
4. Agenda 20/20 Technology Alliance, 2010 ; AF&PA, 2010
5. Society of American Foresters, 2007
6. USDA Forest Service, 2010
7. UN FAO, 1995 ; WWF, 2010 ; WBCSD and NCASI, 2005
8. Two Sides U.S., 2012
9. Direct Communications Group, 2011
10. U.S. FTC Press Release, 2009
11. U.S. FTC Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims

When you read on paper, think of a well-managed forest

There is good news coming from our recent Two Sides U.S. consumer survey on the environmental perceptions of print and paper. Paper is still the preferred information medium for reading for Americans of all ages. In fact, 70% of respondents prefer reading from paper, including 69% of 18 to 24 year olds.  Most of those surveyed also believe that paper records are more sustainable than electronic record storage (68 percent) and that paper is more pleasant to handle and touch than other media (67 percent).

Unfortunately, paper is seen as an environmentally unfriendly way to read because there are lots of misconceptions about its sustainability. The survey showed that 71% of respondents believe that there is a connection between paper manufacture and loss of tropical rainforest (85% of 18-24 year olds). Overall, 69% are concerned about paper’s effect on all forests (76% of 18-24 year olds). Most people still equate paper with forest destruction, instead of sustainable forest management.

Two Sides is helping set the record straight:

•  Paper is not a cause of deforestation in the U.S.
•  Deforestation in the U.S. is caused by development.
•  The main cause of global deforestation is agriculture.
•  In the U.S., paper production helps promote sustainable forest management.

In the Myths and Facts section of the Two Side U.S. website, you’ll find pages of facts to support these statements, all from well-know, authoritative sources with links to original source documents. I encourage you to take a look. And if you have additional facts to add, let us know! Working together, we can correct the misperceptions and let people know that Print and Paper have a Great Environmental Story to tell!

Phil Riebel

President and COO, Two Sides U.S., Inc.

Does your livelihood depend on a sustainable print and paper sector? Join us at www.twosides.us

First of all: Happy New Year and welcome to the Two Sides blog!

Print and Paper have a Great Environmental Story to Tell and Two Sides is now sending that message loud and clear in the United States.  Two Sides is an international non-profit initiative present in 12 countries and we’ve just launched our new U.S. website with a nationwide press release.  The objective of Two Sides is to provide members of the Graphic Communications Supply Chain a forum to promote the responsible production and use of print and paper, improve sustainability standards and practices, share experiences and maximize customer confidence in our products.   I encourage you to read our Mission and Vision.

Over the past year we’ve been quite busy starting  up the U.S. organization.  It would not have been done without the strong support of many companies who became “early adopters” of Two Sides U.S. and provided start-up funding. We are now an incorporated non-profit organization in the U.S., with a full governance structure that includes a Board of Directors, a Sustainability Committee, Marketing Committee and Membership Committee.  We’ve recruited senior-level individuals for our committees, with solid backgrounds in sustainability and print and paper-related marketing.

The U.S. website is packed with factual and science-based information and resources about the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper.  You’ll find facts that will add value, depth and credibility to your sustainability-related communications, from marketing campaigns and employee training to customer presentations and meetings.

I encourage you to check out the seven Myths and Facts pages, designed to shed light on common misconceptions about the environmental impacts of print and paper.  For example, one of our myths is “Electronic Communications is more Environmentally-friendly that Print and Paper.”  This is certainly a hot topic today and will be an area of focus for Two Sides in 2012 as we soon begin challenging misleading claims related to the environmental sustainability of print and paper (stay tuned for more on this).  Some of the facts we present on this topic may surprise a few people!  If you need more detail than each Myth and Fact webpage provides, you can link with just one click to Full Fact Sheets that include many additional facts backed up by reports and studies from well-known, credible sources.  Special thanks are due to all members of the Two Sides team and our contractors for their great work on preparing and uploading all this information.

Don’t leave the site without checking out our Video and Audio library, especially some of the funny ones!

I also encourage you to visit the Resources and News sections where you can browse and search by key topic. Member companies can create their own microsite and upload news items, reports, facts and case studies which are reviewed and approved by Two Sides prior to posting.

Our growing membership today includes over 50 U.S. companies.  Anyone in the graphic communication supply chain can join, either as a Commercial Member, an Allied Organization, or a Partner Member. The more companies that join, the more resources and expertise are available to speak with one unified voice and pursue our Mission and Vision.  Please registering for free on the website, read How to Join and fill out the Application Form … or, just contact me.

I hope you’ll join us!

Phil Riebel
President
Two Sides U.S., Inc.