Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Finally, We Have Catalog Choice

Catalog Choice is the free service that lets you opt-out of unwanted catalogs.

The buzz is growing, and Catalog Choice has been featured in national media including CNN, watch the clip below.



As of October 31st, the Catalog Choice community is 86,146 persons strong, having opted out of 515,128 catalogs. (if you multiply that by the numerous times a year most catalogs come, that's millions of individual catalogs!)

Per capita paper consumption in the United States exceeds 700 lbs/year, by far the most of any nation. There are 19 BILLION catalogs mailed every year in the US. Projects like Catalog Choice are helping to protect the world's endangered forests and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of wasteful and unnecessary paper consumption.

Paste Makes the Switch to Recycled

From the Environmental Leader:

Beginning with its November issue, Paste Magazine will now be composed of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content paper - up from the 10 percent they are currently using.

By making this decision, every year Paste will now save 2,000 trees, and will save enough energy to power 50+ homes.

“Shifting to 30 percent post-consumer recycled content paper is a small price to pay to help our future,” added Nick Marino, managing editor of Paste magazine. “Our hope is that other magazines will join in our commitment to recycling. As more publications get on board, the price of recycled paper will go down and the quality of the paper will go up!”

Thursday, October 25, 2007

London's Project Freesheet

If you've been in a major city in the last few years, you've experienced the phenomenon of free mini newspapers now being handed out as a new strategy for newspapers to sell advertising. I'm willing to bet that, you, like me, had a certain thought at least cross your mind as you saw all the discarded papers piling up: "Wow, what a waste."

Free newspaper circulation now accounts for 30% of the European newspaper market, and 8% of the World newspaper market. Since 2001 free daily newspaper circulation has more than tripled from 12 million to over 40 million worldwide. That is a percentage increase of over 340% in 6 years. This equates to the use of over 9000 trees (allowing for 75% recycled content) every day.

Well, finally, an organized response is just beginning and its emerging as a London petition effort called Project Freesheet.

From the website: Project Freesheet is a web based campaign to highlight issues and concerns raised by the ever increasing amount of free literature (aka "freesheets") now being handed out on the streets of our cities around the world. By encouraging the public to upload and send in their photos of free literature waste we aim to illustrate the excesses of the free literature publishers through the creation of a visual petition (see the collage) Project Freesheet will continue to exist for as long as freesheet publishers continue to disregard their responsibilities to our streets and the environment. We will campaign about the negative impact of freesheets for as long as products with such questionable environmental credentials are produced

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Hooray for Everyday with Rachel Ray

Folio magazine is reporting that Everyday with Rachel Ray, the magazine that is a keystone of the enterprises of fast rising Rachel Ray, is switching the paper it is printed on in order to achieve environmental benefits and be more responsible.

"Starting this month, we're printing our magazine on recycled paper and saving 11,500 trees with every issue - that's 115,000 trees a year!" Ray bubbles in November's editor's note. "November is our greenest issue ever."

Its good to see that rather than just selling "The Green Issue" about green topics, like some magazines, Every Day with Rachel Ray is changing its own environmental footprint by switching paper, and being a true business leader. Find out how to make the switch here.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

The First Eco Friendly Bible Arrives

Have you heard the "good news?"

On October 9th, Bible and religion publisher Thomas Nelson Inc. will release the first Bible printed on recycled and FSC certified paper. The Bible is the most widely distributed book in history and Thomas Nelson’s achievement was no small task. Thomas Nelson worked worked with its paper manufacturer, Domtar, to develop a new environmentally responsible paper grade specially suited for the lightweight paper requirements of Bible paper.

Thomas Nelson’s CEO, Mike Hyatt states that, “Thomas Nelson is excited to be taking some important steps toward protecting our natural resources. In addition to offering eco-friendly products, we are striving to implement “green” practices in our daily activities.”

Several other religion publishers also have environmental commitments in place including Ave Maria Press, Baker Publishing Group, Intervarsity Press.

“Given the Bible’s message of stewardship and the growth of the creation care movement we hope to see other Bible and religion publishers following Thomas Nelson’s lead through steps to use paper with less impacts on forests, people, and the climate,"
stated Green Press Initiative director Tyson Miller.

Amen.

Australia: Gunn's Mill Clears Hurdle

(Action on October 3: Bondi Beach, Sydney Australia)


From Australia - Gunn's Mill Update from The Wilderness Society: Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull today (October 4) annouced his decision to approve Gunns Ltd's Tamar Valley pulp mill, effectively giving the go-ahead for a mill that promises extensive damage to Tasmania’s native forests and waterways.

The Minister's approval is subject to the pulp mill meeting 24 new guidelines, but the guidelines fail to adequately address the concerns of Tasmanians about the damage this mill will cause.

Forest Certification Debate Center Stage

The Montreal Gazette has an article today on news from Markets Initiative that independent research completed by EEM confirms that the Forest Stewardship Council is the most effective sustainable forest management certification available.

EEM, the research firm that produced the report, prepared it for a client it would not name which was seeking to set a paper-purchasing policy. The client is a large Canadian media company, report author Stephanie Hamilton said yesterday.

"The value of the report is that it was independently commissioned and independently conducted while most others were conducted by industry or environmental" groups, said Nicole Rycroft of Markets Initiative.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

The (Environmental) State of the Paper Industry

The Environmental Paper Network released a report yesterday entitled, The State of the Paper Industry: Monitoring the Indicators of Environmental Performance. The State of the Paper Industry Report monitors environmental performance in the industry, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and, ultimately, it challenges leaders in the industry with a Vision for social and environmental responsibility.

Read about it on GreenBiz.com and The Daily Green

Media: Listen to audio of the press conference here.