Filed under: Business Practices | Tags: environment, graphic design, graphics, green printing
Advanced researches have successfully proved that the printing industry is the single largest polluter and the third largest consumer of fossil fuels in the world after automobiles and steel manufacturing. It is estimated that printers consume trillions of gallons of water, which again demands treatment on account of its toxin content. Use of adhesives and foils further render the final product un-recyclable. Imagine a situation where millions of such products are being manufactured everyday, which would ultimately end up in a landfill! These volatile products can easily contaminate groundwater, soil, and air (when evaporated) consequently stimulating the occurrence of fatal diseases like cancer, chronic liver and heart malfunctioning.
The concept of green printing is thus an offshoot of increasing environmental degradation. The concept holds a lot of promise as the end product created is recyclable. Since the common printing process is hazardous in itself, steps are taken by green printing firms to use such materials that would not spur the creation of toxins. For instance, the printing paper should be derived from 100 per cent post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free, uncoated, Forest Stewardship Council certified, and manufactured using renewable energy sources like solar power or wind. Vegetable-based ink or soy ink should be used for printing. Dye sublimation is another printing process, vastly used by non-profit organizations these days. The process uses petroleum and other volatile organic compounds instead of solvent-based inks. Digital printing is another alternative towards a more sustainable approach.
Green printing processes can thus help promote the cause of the environment and make your planet look green and beautiful. So help spreading awareness towards eco-friendly printing and save your home from further degradation.
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Suzanne Macguire is a marketing professional, currently engaged in encouraging eco-friendly printing solutions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Macguire
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Filed under: Business Practices | Tags: environment, planet earth, trade show displays, trade show exhibits
There are plenty of reasons to consider environmental factors when planning for your next exhibit. If your industry is not traditionally linked with environmental movements, having a “green exhibit” is a great way to stand out from the crowd. Add to that the fact that you’re doing your part to make the world a better place, and you’ll feel less guilty for blowing your competition out of the water. Here are ten tips for going green at your next exhibit.
Building a booth? Use eco-friendly materials. If you’re building a custom booth this year, you have several options for greener materials. First, try to avoid wood. The earth’s forests are nearly 80% depleted, and that’s bad news for our atmosphere. Trees breathe in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen-so they may be our first line of defense against global warming. Leave a few trees standing by choosing another material to build your booth.
One more eco-friendly choice is recycled metal. While this may not seem like the most biodegradable choice, it’s much better than using non-recycled metals. For example, the process of recycling aluminum takes about 95% less energy than it does to create new aluminum from ore. Recycling steel uses about 60% less energy than making it from scratch.
Another option is wood/plastic composite. This building material is made up of sawdust from lumber and furniture companies mixed with fragments of plastic trash, such as soda bottles and garbage bags. There are many different brands, and the wood comes in colors ranging from deep ambers to espresso browns-as beautiful as natural wood, without the environmental price tag.
Consider your paints. Oil and latex-based paints are toxic to the environment-they contain poisonous chemicals that can’t be removed at a treatment plant. Leftover paint is often poured down the drain, and it gets into oceans and waterways. It also leaches from painted items in landfills, further damaging the environment. Even worse, VOC’s-volatile organic chemicals, such as cyanide-in paint evaporate at room temperature, contributing to global warming while coating your booth.
Instead of traditional paints, look for non-VOC paints made by big-name paint manufacturers such as Sherman Williams and Behr. Other eco-friendly paints are made from talcum powder, clay, and chalk.
Get green giveaways. When looking for a good giveaway item, choose with an eye toward minimizing trash. Avoid items that come in plastic packaging. Avoid plastic altogether, in fact, unless it’s recycled. Good ideas include cotton or hemp tote bags, food in recycled-paper wrapping instead of plastic, recycled plastic Frisbees, pens and other items, and ceramic mugs. Stay away from plastic bags, wood, and non-recycled materials.
Use energy-efficient lighting. Incandescent light bulbs are notoriously inefficient. They emit only 10% of the energy they use as light. The rest is given off as heat-which is why these bulbs can catch your lampshade on fire if you’re not careful. Instead, use fluorescent bulbs. These are much more energy efficient.
Use recycled paper. There are a lot of paper products involved in a typical exhibit: business cards, signs and displays, brochures and promotional materials. Why not use recycled paper? While most people think of rough, textured and off-white paper when it comes to buying recycled, there are many companies that make smooth, bright-white papers that are comparable to virgin papers.
Consider green printing. Some inks can be as toxic as paint. You can go green with your printing by choosing a green printer. Not all are created equally; their commitment to green printing can range from using energy-efficient operating procedures to printing with soy-based inks on recycled papers. Be sure to shop around when looking for eco-friendly printers.
Talk to your vendor. Some booth vendors are more eco-friendly than others. Some may operate under environmentally mindful conditions-using alternative energy and energy-efficient practices, for example-while others may have pre-fabricated booths built from eco-friendly materials. Be sure to ask your vendor for more advice on how you can create a green display for your next exhibit.
Going green doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. While you may have to buy a custom booth to go green, recycled and eco-friendly materials sometimes cost less than their non-recycled alternatives. Talk to your vendor, research your options, and take your time in designing an approach to green exhibiting that works for your company. No matter how far you go with it-from using recycled papers to building an entire booth from eco-friendly materials-you’ll be making a positive contribution.
Filed under: Business Practices | Tags: eco-friendly practices, environment, responsible business practice, wind energy
Harrisonburg, VA (PRWEB) January 19, 2008 — MODdisplays is proud to announce the release of the Exhibit One display system, which is the most environmentally friendly system available on the market today. Businesses who want to market their company at trade shows are quickly discovering that eco-friendly trade show displays produce higher returns and more good will. We believe that a recent change in the way people think about the environment has spurred the success of the Exhibit One display system. MODDisplays can be found online at: http://www.moddisplays.com .
The health of our environment and the onset of global climate change are issues which have become increasingly important to businesses over the past few years. Business owners are realizing that the vast majority of consumption occurs in the business settings, not personal settings. A single business owner that decides to clean up his/her practices can make an enormous impact, while individuals are only capable of limited results.
The Exhibit One Display System is manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility that was engineered for efficient and clean production. The entire facility is powered using only wind energy, which is one of the most renewable and clean forms of energy available. Despite the massive scale on which these displays are produced, the facility produces a comparably tiny amount of waste. Instead, the components that were unused from the production of one product are immediately recycled to produce other products.
The Exhibit One Trade Show Display System is made entirely of recyclable materials. The structure of the display is made from aluminum extrusions, which can be recycled just as easily as aluminum cans. The main structure is accented by wooden counter tops and canopies, which are produced using the most renewable and recyclable plywood on the planet. The canopy comes with energy efficient recessed lighting, and the entire display packs into a recycled and recyclable roto-molded case.
In addition to its entirely recyclable construction, the Exhibit One components can be reconfigured repeatedly as the needs of exhibitors change. This not only serves to save exhibitors precious time and money, but also eliminates any excuses for disposing of your trade show display system. With only a few simple modifications that can be done without the aid of tools, the exhibitor can transform the system to work in a number of different booth spaces.
“The release of the Exhibit One display marks a systemic change in the culture and policies at MODdisplays. In an effort to reduce our impact on the world we all live in, we have converted to a completely paperless office, and we have taken a number of steps to initiate environmentally responsible policies,” Andy Keeler, President of MODDisplays said. “By offering the Exhibit One display system, we have helped to create a trade show display option that is eco-friendly, yet still offers a professional and modern feel.”
According to recent studies done by Exhibitor Magazine, over 90% of exhibitors would choose an environmentally friendly trade show display if the price and quality were equal. The Exhibit One display system meets that need.
About MODDisplays
MODdisplays is a brand new company founded on the premise that bringing trade show display sales to the internet can create the best buying experience for exhibitors. Keeping this premise in mind our goal is simple: we want to create the easiest way for our customers to buy quality displays, Banner Stands, and Trade Show Flooring. that meet their individual needs.
Contact
Andy Keeler
http://www.moddisplays.com
1-877-663-3976
