Features

I was sitting at my desk recently, looking through a pile of papers when a thought hit me: “Printers are starting to take proper notice of our planet!”

We all know going green is a good thing, but across the printing fraternity the debate of late seems to have been whether printers and manufacturers are wearing green sleeves to be trendy, or whether they really do care about what inks are doing to the soil and water.

I don’t know what apparent mass enlightenment took place on the globe at the start of the year, but looking back I do recall it was during that period that the green press releases really began to flood my inbox.

I must admit, I was a little sceptical reading about companies saving trees and the ozone. I thought that for some it was just a marketing gimmick. It didn’t help that many of the people I speak to in marketing – and even some printers – cracked jokes about print going green.

“Bah!” I would hear. “Printers? Green? With all that paper?” This followed by a snigger.

But, by golly, sifting through write ups on the UAE government banning the printing of logos on non-biodegradable plastic bags, Papers Worldwide stocking recycled paper and several manufacturers making and using green calculators, I suddenly realised that it wasn’t all just talk.

It’s so inspired the Printweek MEA team that we’ve started doing our bit by printing on both sides of the paper we use during production.

It might sound insignificant, but you know what? At least we’re not just talking about helping the environment.