As more businesses and organisations recognise the value of shrinking their carbon footprint, the demand for carbon zero printing is increasing. At Soar, the job of calculating and offsetting carbon emissions connected to print jobs belongs to Jenny Carter.
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French researchers studying Pacific coral reefs have warned that limits proposed in the Paris Agreement won't be enough to save them.
To establish the carbon emissions associated with a print job, Jenny uses a spreadsheet provided by Landcare Research, the crown organisation that manages the carbon footprint scheme known as carboNZero(CertTM). Soar is the only printing company in New Zealand certified to offer carbon zero services and products under this scheme, which exceeds international standards and best practice for a carbon programme.
Jenny calculates the carbon inputs associated with paper, waste, finishing, transport and the electricity used by the printing technology. Once the carbon footprint of the print job is known, offsets can be purchased. Soar chooses to buy carbon offsets from New Zealand providers, such as forest regeneration schemes and windfarms. They cost more than some overseas schemes, but the benefits to New Zealand are greater.
“Digital printing usually comes with a smaller carbon footprint than conventional printing because it doesn’t require metal plates and there’s less paper waste during setup. And some digital presses are better than others. The revolutionary new press we’re about to launch for multi-page printing is more energy efficient than other digital presses, plus it lets you avoid wiro binding. When a booklet is wiro bound, it has a bigger carbon footprint that a stapled booklet”, says Jenny.
How to get the CarboNZero logo on your next print job
For any print job, Soar can offer CarboNZero ‘printing as a service’. It means the printed product’s carbon impact is measured and offset, with the exception of emissions associated with preparation of the artwork.
For simple print jobs where the artwork is created in-house at Soar Studio, Soar can offer CarboNZero ‘printing as a product’. It means the entire carbon impact of the printed product is measured and offset. This includes editorial emissions, which are the emissions generated by graphic design. Measuring the emissions associated with photography can be challenging, especially in the case of library photos, but not impossible.
According to NASA, the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate of 9% per decade.
Need evidence that reducing carbon is important?
In case you need proof that reducing carbon emissions is necessary, Soar’s newest calendar delivers a few sobering facts as well as some hopeful messages.
This calendar has been produced as a carboNZero certified service printed service in association with Enviro-Mark Solutions. Its carbon footprint is just under 1kg per calendar and these emissions have been offset with New Zealand carbon credits from schemes like the Hinewai Forest regeneration project.
The concept of this regeneration project is to increase the area of native forest on private land in New Zealand, while providing an income for landowners. This will reduce New Zealand's net greenhouse gas emissions, support native biodiversity, reduce soil erosion and improve catchment water quality.
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The Te Apiti wind farm in Manawatu is a New Zealand carbon offset project.
If you’d like a copy of Soar’s new calendar, email reception@soarprint.co.nz
Read about Soar’s sustainability credentials.
Find out about a typical New Zealand carbon offset programme.
French researchers studying Pacific coral reefs have warned that limits proposed in the Paris Agreement won't be enough to save them.
