It’s easy being green

In the past couple of years I’ve really tried to focus on making changes in my lifestyle and habits to be more Earth conscious. Some of those habits I learned early on from my parents such as recycling aluminum cans, turning off lights or not letting the water run while I brush my teeth. As an adult I’ve really started to look at what I could easily transform into a good habit for myself and my family to adopt. There were two routines I started last year that took a little adjustment. The first one is to only use reusable shopping bags when shopping at any store, and not just the grocery store. The second thing was to stop buying brand-new art supplies and instead look at what I could reuse or recycle from my own life. Now, I exclusively create art from recycled paper. You would think with all my focus on going green I would look for ways to incorporate it into my work life as well. I do use PDF invoicing as opposed to paper, but really that isn’t enough. It took a client request for me to wake up and realize I could lessen my carbon footprint by encouraging my clients to use green printing. So many people are so used to trying to get the best quality at the cheapest price that it doesn’t cross their minds to ask about eco-friendly printing options. You can see the light, too I know if you’re not used to working with eco-friendly options you may have the misconceptions that it’s expensive, the quality isn’t as good, or that the stock is flimsy and dull. These beliefs are not true. With advancements in inks and ways of processing paper I bet you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a green-printed product and the old carbon-devouring product. I know I was skeptical because, while I may be a green wannabe, I am also a print-quality snob. So, I sent out for samples and now I have seen the error of my ways. What to expect You can get all the same standard paper options you would normally use such as gloss, matte or smooth finishes, varied paper weights and a nice white color. There are many different brands of eco-friendly papers such as Reincarnation, Primavera, Sakura, Save-A-Tree or Chorus Art. Some are 100 percent recycled with 50 percent post-consumer waste and processed chlorine-free, while others may only be 50 percent recycled with 25 percent post-consumer waste. If the percentages matter to you or your client, then check with PsPrint about your paper options. Every little bit helps Start by ordering printed samples on eco-friendly stock. Then when reviewing paper stock options with your client bring your green samples along and show them the great quality. You might be surprised at the ripple effect you can have. Most clients want to feel good about the products they are purchasing. So good, in fact, they will probably share with others that they chose a green-print product the next time someone compliments them on their business card. Designers, if you have any green design tips please share, because I’m always looking for a way to lessen my impact on the environment.