“Life is half spent before we know what it is.”

                                                                        George Herbert

Motivational Quote of the Day…

 

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”

Albert Einstein

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF PRINTED PAPER

Today's paper fact blog was found on and reprinted from the website of www.PrintGrowsTrees.org 

Printed paper is made from a renewable resource. Trees can be replanted in places where they were harvested and also in places where they don’t currently grow. As much as we love our electronic devices, they don’t grow on trees or anywhere else.

54.7 percent of all paper in the U.S. is currently recycled.

Printed paper can be recycled, recovered and reused. The systems that are in place for these processes are widely available and have become more efficient and sophisticated over the many years they have existed. In contrast, electronic devices are much more complex and expensive to recycle, recover and reuse due to the toxic nature of many of their components, and current systems are still in the early stages.

The average data center serving our electronic devices consumes the same amount of energy as 25,000 households.

The paper we use to print in the U.S. is made from more than 60 percent biofuels. Paper mills use what’s left over from the manufacturing process to generate bioenergy on site. This serves to:

• Divert waste from landfills
• Decrease the overall carbon footprint of paper products
• Decrease dependency on coal and other fossil fuels
• Help meet green energy goals in America

By contrast, server farms that power computers have become the fastest growing users of fossil fuel in the world, and the amount of energy they use is doubling every year.

Modern commercial printing employs more sustainable practices. From recycling to energy usage, commercial printers are making great strides in reducing their environmental footprints by implementing such practices as:

• Purchasing products, materials and services from individuals and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability
• Gaining third-party certification credentials
• Reducing the impact of chemicals by using vegetable-based inks, eco-friendly soy inks, alcohol-free chemistry and aqueous coatings
• Sequencing print jobs by ink color, saving ink changes and waste
• Using biodegradable packaging materials and waste paper instead of petroleum-based foam peanuts
• Using a higher percentage of paper grades that are recycled, post-consumer and third-party forest certified to be from responsible sources
• Reducing the impact of energy loads on the electric grid by staggering production start times and effectively avoiding operating at full load during peak run time hours
• Using alternative power, such as wind or solar, in many locations where it is available
• Educating employees on environmental information, recycling procedures and certification training
• Equipping presses with ink monitoring devices to reduce waste
• Recycling printing plates, soda cans, cell phones, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, old computer equipment, tin, glass and plastics

Find out more by visiting this fine organizations website: www.PrintGrowsTrees.org

PGAMA is the not-for-profit trade association serving the graphic communications industry in Northern Virginia, Maryland, Greater Washington, D.C. and Southern Pennsylvania. They represent the interests of over 350 member firms.

Motivational Quote of the Day…

 

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance 

and conscientious stupidity"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Want more inspiration?  Visit - http://dailyinspirational.net/

Motivational Quote of the Day…

 

“Take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”

Frank Sinatra

dailyinspirational.net

How Many Trees Will You Use Today?

I spotted this blog on Finch Papers - thought it was worth sharing!  

Barb

Introducing Erin O’Neill: With this week’s post, Finch forester Erin O’Neill joins Roger Dziengeleski as a contributor to the Finch in the Forest blog. Erin joined Finch in 2000 after earning a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resource Management and Wildlife Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

_________________________________________________________________________________

As a forester for a paper company, I’m often asked how much paper we can make from one tree.

My answer? It depends. Here’s why:

First, it’s not often that one entire tree is used for paper. Most trees are harvested for multiple products, with the highest-quality portions going into furniture and building materials that bring the highest price to the landowner. Paper is made from the lower-quality wood (“pulpwood”) that is left over.

Second, the initial step in preparing logs for pulping is to remove the bark. Depending on the type of tree, bark can account for 10-20 percent of a tree’s volume. (Paper manufacturers don’t throw the bark away; we either burn it to produce biomass energy or sell it for mulch).

Third, different types of trees provide different quantities of pulp. This varies by species (hardwood, softwood and aspen) and subspecies (for example, red pine, jack pine or white pine).

Fourth, different types of paper — tissue, book, digital — require different volumes or densities of pulp. Even within grades, there are different weights of paper, which require more or less wood fiber.

So, how can you equate paper or other forest products to raw wood? Let’s use the unit of pulpwood measurement called a “cord.” This refers to a stack of logs four feet tall, four feet deep and eight feet long, and typically weighing a total of 2.5 tons.

The average cord of wood could produce either:

•  1,000-2,000 pounds of paper, depending on grade

•  12 eight-seat dining room table sets

•  250 copies of the Sunday New York Times

•  4,000 half-gallon milk cartons

•  4.3 million postage stamps, or

•  7.5 million toothpicks

For additional perspective, building an 1,800-square-foot home requires the equivalent of about 20 cords of wood.

I hope you’ll agree that these statistics point out the incredible diversity of trees, the importance they hold in our society — and just how fortunate we are to have this incredible, renewable resource available to us. Americans have been utilizing vast quantities of wood for more than 200 years, and thanks to sustainable forest management, our forests remain plentiful and healthy, providing wood for forest products, habitat for wildlife, and lands for recreation, all while pulling greenhouse gases from our air. As the Society of American Foresters says, “Trees are the answer!”

Finch Paper LLCOne Glen Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801

1-800-833-9983

info@finchpaper.com

Print is Dead? Not so Fast.

Forbes.com 

Is print dead? This is a question that has been buzzing around the marketing world since the rapid surge of the Internet and social media. While many businesses have completely migrated their advertising efforts to the web because of its cost effectiveness, exposure potential and convenience, print still maintains its stance as a powerful and necessary component of an ad campaign. Let’s take a closer look at print media and some advantages it has over its digital counterparts.

Tangibility – A print piece is a physical thing. Magazines and newspapers can stay in houses or offices for months or years, while Internet ads can disappear into cyber space instantaneously.

Credibility – There is something about print that gives a sense of legitimacy. The saturation of popups and banner ads on the web can be overwhelming and the fear of spam and viruses is enough make people weary of clicking. There is no imminent danger in a print ad.

Branding – Print ads are excellent for solidifying your brand identity. Your ads should have a consistent aesthetic in terms of fonts, colors and types of images to establish brand recognition.

Target Marketing – Placing ads in publications such as specialty magazines can effectively reach niche audiences that may be more difficult to target online.

More Engaging – Consumers are more engaged when reading printed material, unlike websites, which are often skimmed in as little as a 15 second visit. A study shows that people read digital screen text 20% – 30% slower than printed paper. (Alshaali & Varshney, 2005)

Less Print Ads – With more and more businesses relying solely on the Internet for their advertising needs, the decline of print publication can actually be used as a marketing advantage. The publications are less crowded, allowing more room for your ad to shine, and possibly even cheaper prices for that ad space.

QR Codes – Placing QR codes on printed pieces is an excellent way to bridge the gap between print and web. When scanned with a smartphone, the QR code will take you to a homepage or a special offer page that lives on the web.

The best way to market your business is to utilize as many channels as possible to reach every corner of your target demographic; this should not exclude print. Although it is likely that most emphasis, in terms of advertising, will be executed online, there still exist those who revel in the glory of the printed page and it’s important to reach them. Finding the right balance between various media will ensure a steady revenue flow, an increase in sales and new customers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2012/06/28/print-is-dead-not-so-fast/?goback=%2Egde_162645_member_128998477

Sourced from an online discussion by Jeff Howell, Marketing Coordinator - Fargo ND Area