Printing has evolved dramatically in response to sustainability challenges. Working as an Art Director for the first carbon neutral financial institution in Canada, I was responsible for managing printing with environmental sustainability as a top priority.

To ensure your next press-run is gentle on the environment, here are some tips:

• Use vegetable-based inks that minimize smog-causing volatile petroleum compounds (also known as VOCs).
• Choose FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper. Use of the FSC mark requires the entire supply chain (retailers, distributors, manufacturers and sawmills)  to adhere to strict environmental and social standards. Fiber from certified forests is tracked all the way to the consumer through the chain of custody certification system. FSC is the next level of sustainability that goes beyond the sole inclusion of recycled content.
• Choose papers that are acid free, elemental chlorine free (ECF), or totally chlorine free (TCF).