Consumption of production paper decreased by 18% from 95,642 tonnes in 2007 to 78,662 in 2008. The change reflects a reduction in print runs as online increases, and proactive paper reduction measures; among them the introduction of a new smaller font, Gulliver, which has the same readability as standard fonts, but reduces paper amounts by 15%. We also moved to lighter weight papers and from litho to digital printing.
In 2008, office paper consumption remained reasonably constant, as it has over the last four years, at approximately 1,000 metric tonnes. We have included office paper in our new environmental standards programme to encourage employees to not exceed 3,000 sheets of paper per person annually, nearly half of current usage.
Because paper remains a major environmental impact area for Reed Elsevier, as stated in our EMS, we are committed to “ensuring that the resources and materials used by our businesses are sustainable, are capable of being recycled and are used effectively with the minimum waste.”
We are a founding member of the Publishers Database for Responsible Environmental Paper Sourcing (PREPS), a sectoral approach to paper sustainability. PREPS reviews and stores technical specifications of pulps and forest sources for paper, and awards grades of 1-5 stars for each based on sustainability criteria (with 5 being the highest).
By the close of 2008, 70% of RE papers by weight were on the PREPS system, with 54% of papers graded. 94% were grade 3 (known and legal sources) or above. We also carried out an internal review of 66% of our papers in the year, of which 93% would likely garner grade 3 or above. In 2009, we will grade more paper, and continue training purchasing teams on how best to use PREPS scoring to ensure we make sustainable choices. Around 90% of our global office paper came from certified sources in 2008.
In 2008, Reed Business Information US publication, Graphic Arts Monthly (GAM), continued to promote green printing options by conducting a comprehensive research study to benchmark sustainability in the printing industry. 75% of those surveyed believed there is now an increased emphasis on printing sustainability, yet cost is still the primary barrier to greener printing; 70% believed recycled content was important.
An RE Green Room article about environmentally-friendly offices prompted Tammy Walford and Lynn Miller at LexisNexis in Dayton, Ohio to suggest online pay statements for employees. iPay launched in 2008 for 95% of LexisNexis US employees, saving $150,000 and reducing the environmental impact of paper and postage. The new system provides better protection for personal information, offers a history of employees’ pay, and links to other useful tools such as tax packages.
We recognise the importance of working with suppliers to reduce the overall environmental impact of our products. For example, Ross Bradshaw of delfortgroup, an RE paper supplier through Precision Publishing, shared research he conducted on cutting the base weight of the paper we use from 80g to 60g, for a 25% decrease in freight tonnage and distribution emissions. Read Ross Bradshaw’s findings.