Print is an inextricably human development dating back thousands of years. Our ability to communicate via the printed page is (no pun intended) part of the very fibre of our being. But as with other resource-intensive manufacturing processes, the printing industry is under heavy scrutiny today as greater awareness of the global ecological impact of human activity grows. Print’s own inconvenient truth is that, at a base level, it is the product of oil being applied to dead trees.

The magic of conveying a message, a feeling, or an idea on a printed page is in danger of losing some of its luster if its creation is deemed wasteful and/or threatening to the global condition. In addition to harvesting forests, pulp and paper production also requires massive amounts of water and energy to meet global demand. The process creates water, land, and atmospheric waste, and relies almost exclusively on fossil fuels. Commercial printing operations use energy-hungry equipment that often require harsh chemicals and processes to lay inks, coatings, and adhesives on paper.

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