Going Green!

Since Solstice Press opened its doors in 1991, we have done our best to keep our environmental footprint very small, recycling our used printing plates & paper waste, using soy-based inks and encouraging our customers to choose recycled paper.

We still weren’t sure we were doing all that we could so we applied to be part of the Bay Area Green Business Program. Since we already had so many environmentally friendly business practices built in, we were able to qualify after making a few small changes. We updated our lighting with help from a PG&E rebate and switched from partially recycled white shipping boxes to completely recycled brown shipping boxes.

As a green certified business, we are proud to be a part of a community that values preserving our environment and we would love to help you plan your next planet-friendly printing project.

 

GREEN GLOSSARY

Some of our customers ask us what it means when we say a paper is 50% recycled and 30% pcw. Here is a glossary of commonly used green lingo:

FSC Certified – The Forest Stewardship Council certifies that wood (and wood fiber) is harvested from an environmentally responsibly managed forest. This means that trees in certified forests are re-grown after harvesting.

PCW Content - Post-consumer waste is paper that has been used by consumers and then recycled. This frequently means newspapers, magazines & junk mail. The higher the PCW content, the less virgin fiber is being used.

Recycled Content – Recycled paper content can be made up of both pre and post consumer sources. Many paper mills re-pulp the waste that doesn’t make it into the parent sheet, which is both good for the environment and the mill’s bottom line.

SFI Certified – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative certifies forests for sustainability, similar to the FSC.

Soy Based Inks – The base is derived from soybeans and mixed with pigment. Soy is a renewable product and is easier to recycle than petroleum based inks. Soy inks are also very low in VOCs.

Totally Chlorine Free – Uses non-chlorine bleaching processes, including oxygen, peroxide and ozone instead of dioxins, which are an environmental pollutant.

VOC –Volatile Organic Compounds, which are hard on the environment and can cause health problems. Products that are low in VOCs are also better for your health.

Virgin Fiber – Virgin Fiber comes directly from trees and contains no recycled content. It requires the most energy to process and requires more trees to make.

 

GREEN LINKS

AIGA Sustainable Design Guidelines

Mohawk Paper Environmental FAQs

Neenah Paper Downloadable Green Logos

Neenah Paper Environmental FAQs

New Leaf Paper Sustainable Printing Guidelines

2010 Greetings from Solstice Press