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The Green Press Initiative (GPI) has
request that the EpEN provide information about their program
for those individuals who wish to take action concerning environmental
responsibility in the printing industry.
GPI is working with religious publishers
to encourage them to use papers that are environmentally responsible
and serve to reduce pressure on Endangered Forests and communities
tied to them. This translates to the use of papers with a maximum
amount of recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
"virgin" fiber. GPI has put together a program to get
the publishers to change internal practices as well as to influence
their printers and mills to make changes. The publishers have
told GPI that it is important for them to hear from the churches
and their constituents that publishing bibles and other religious
books on environmentally responsible paper is important.
GPI has laid the groundwork for this
effort by reaching out to all the major bible and religious publishers
along with the mills that produce both lightweight and regular
trade paper. Further GPI has been working with trade and educational
publishers for several years to establish best practices in paper
use and production. To date, there are 98 US publishers who have
made formal commitments to shift their paper use to meet GPI recommended
standards. As a result of collective demand, the suppliers have
produced over 20 new book papers with environmental characteristics.
Over 15 printers are currently stocking them, including those
serving religious book publishers.
GPI offers the following facts for consideration:
- On average, the U.S. book publishing
industry uses 1 million tons of paper, requiring the consumption
of 20 million trees annually.
- Many of these trees are coming from
Endangered Forests in Canada, Indonesia and the Southeastern
U.S. that contain irreplaceable biodiversity and are home to
many indigenous people.
- If the book industry converted 30%
of its fiber use to recycled, it would save the equivalent of
524 million pounds of greenhouse gases, 2.1 billion gallons
of water, 264 million pounds of solid waste, and 4.9 million
trees each year.
- Religious trade books are the fastest
growing segment of book publishing and part of their value is
to encourage stewardship of Creation.
GPI asks for you to write a letter to
the top religious publishers, asking them to change their paper
use practices. They have told us that its important to hear from
you. We will provide you with a letter template and contact information
.
GPI does not have information available
on their website for downloading. The following two GPI documents
of interest are available from EpEN as a download.
- a Flier
entitled "Advancing Environmental Innovation in the Book
Sector" (downloadable as a PDF)
- a Fact
Sheet, entitled "Environmentally Responsible Paper
for Bibles and Other Religious Books" (downloadable as
a MS-Word Document).
If you have any questions on the Green
Press Initiative, please contact Erin
Johnson at the GPI.
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