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Printing with the Environment in Mind

This Saturday is Earth Day, a time for reflecting on how we use our resources. Here at 360, we think carefully about this issue every day. After all, trucks pull up to our loading dock every day with giant palettes of paper, and we feel a particular responsibility to minimize waste.

So how exactly does a printer use resources responsibly?

Using environmentally responsible materials

Sure, we’ve got recycled paper available for your print job. But we don’t stop there. We recycle every byproduct of the printing process we can. In addition to recycling paper and aluminum plates, we use soy-based inks and follow strict FSC chain of command to help sustain the forests.

The FSC, or Forest Stewardship Council, is a non-profit organization that promotes responsible forest management. We have Chain-of-Custody certification from the FSC, which means that we can trace your paper all the way back to its source, and that it has been handled at each step by FSC-certified, responsibly managed companies.

FSC Logo: reads Forests for all Forever

Even the ink we use is earth-friendly: printing inks are traditionally petroleum-based, but we use soy-based inks. Made from soybeans, these pigments not only use a renewable resource, but they are also more easily removed during the paper recycling process. Soy inks even typically produce brighter colors on paper.

Recycling what is left

So far this year we’ve recycled about 21,000 pounds of paper per month.

While the bulk of our recycling program consists of paper, we don’t stop there. We also take the aluminum plates that we use for printing to a local recycling center.

Coordinated deliveries

Print jobs need to be delivered to clients, and we plan out our delivery routes carefully to conserve gas.

360 delivery truck

What about going digital?

After all this, you might be asking yourself whether it makes environmental sense to print at all. Shouldn’t we be going digital and paperless to save trees? This claim is not as straightforward as it seems, though. While we should certainly reduce needless printing and paper waste, choosing digital over print doesn’t always conserve resources. After all, digital communication – and the storage of all that information – requires electricity. Furthermore, the paper and lumber industries have turned the tide on deforestation in the U.S. – in 2014, the Department of Agriculture reported significant forest growth from 2007–2012.

Going Paperless infographic

SOURCE: http://www.twosidesna.org

However you choose to get your message out on Earth Day or any other day of the year, we’re here to help you make the most environmentally responsible choice.

Have a print project or question?


Whether big or small, 360 Press Solutions can handle your next printing job. We are here to help make your project successful. Drop us a line and let’s get the ball rolling.

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