IP Wants You to Go Paper. Grow Trees.™

Kudos to International  Paper!

Their sponsorship of a new awareness campaign aptly titled ‘Go Paper. Grow Trees.‘ delivers the facts – and nothing but the facts! – about how using paper actually does benefit the health and growth of trees and forests worldwide.

And since we depend on forests for many reasons (social, ecological and economical), it is important we all do our part to spread this message to everyone within earshot (or eyeshot).

The main purpose of this campaign is to educate the public as to the challenges that private landowners face in cultivating forests. And since a vast majority of the 750 million acres of U.S. forests are privately owned¹, it is up to these private (usually family) owners what will happen to our forests.

“It’s important to understand that tree farmers and other private landowners plant about 4 million trees every day… about three to four times more than they harvest. By planting trees and managing forests responsibly, landowners are given the financial incentive they need…”
– Teri Shanahan, VP of Commercial Printing, International Paper “

When we DON’T use paper, the income that tree farmers would normally receive is drastically reduced, which then leads to their inability to keep these forests going. To ensure their business’s survival, many tree farmers have begun to convert their forestlands to more profitable sources of income, such as agricultural crops or selling the land for development.

Either way, it results in a loss of forestlands, reducing our ability (yes, it affects all of us) to receive many of the health benefits we currently take for granted – things many of us don’t even think twice about like clean water, fresh air, etc.

Needless to say, it is important that we, as consumers, spread the word (and repeat the mantra) to Go Paper, Grow Trees. Because printing is good and paper products are a “sustainable, renewable, recyclable and biodegradable resource².”

Read the full press release about Go Paper Grow Trees.™

Follow Green Books N Binders on Twitter.

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¹Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2010

^{2http://whattheythink.com/news/48005-international-paper-site-shows-paper-demand-contributing-forest-growth/}

GreenFest Wrap-Up: Thank you D.C.!

Green Books N Binders exhibited this year at Green Festival D.C. 2010 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Setting up shop at Booth 429 for the weekend of October 23-24th, we got a chance to meet some really great people who are just as passionate about doing the “right” thing as we are. In fact, we were so excited to exhibit we forgot to pack our cameras! Luckily we had our cell phone cameras on hand. That being said, forgive us for any sub par photos, we tried our best!

Overall, the show was an undeniable success and it really reminded us why we’re doing what we’re doing. Being surrounded by so many like-minded people, it ignited a new spark in us to urge the world to Go Vinyl-Free.

We’d like to thank all of the attendees, staff and our fellow exhibitors for making it all happen. We look forward to seeing you all next year!

View all of our show photos on Flickr.

Follow us on Twitter.

GBB’s Green Guide for the Eco-web

With the ever rising popularity of eco-initiatives there are tons of informational sites available on the World Wide Web. However, a lot of these sites can be misleading or may contain conflicting information, at times confusing more than informing. In an effort to keep you on the right path, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite “green” resources. Check them out below, we promise you won’t be disappointed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/green/         
Let’s face it, who hasn’t heard of the Huffington Post? For breaking news on everything eco, this site is our go-to area to stay updated on green happenings.

http://inspiredeconomist.com
This blog focuses on people, places and ideas that promote positive change. With tons of informational posts on CSR, conservation and sustainable printing (just to name a few) you can stay busy for hours on this site.

Visit http://inspiredeconomist.com/tag/sustainable-printing/ to see all posts on sustainable printing.

http://www.treehugger.com
Treehugger is one of the best places to visit if you want to know what’s happening in the eco-community right now. Dedicated to being a “one-stop shop for green news, solutions and product info,” this site is definitely top notch in the eco-community.

http://www.greenamerica.org
Green America is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainability in all aspects. If you want to learn how you can take action and make a difference, this site needs to be your first stop.

Also, visit http://greenfestivals.org to learn about (and see if you can attend) Green America’s joint effort with Global Exchange to produce sustainable conventions. Green Books N Binders will be exhibiting at the D.C. Show, October 23-24^th at Booth 429 so you don’t want to miss it!

http://blogs.whattheythink.com/going-green/
Read Managing Editor, Peter Nowack’s blogs to stay on top of the green wave. With over 15 years experience in environmental marketing, you can trust he knows what he’s talking about. With frequent posts, Peter does a great job keeping his readers informed and knowledgeable.

http://printgrowstrees.com/
Created by the PGAMA, “Print Grows Trees” is more than just a website. It’s an educational campaign filled with fun facts about how print really does help grow trees and encouraging everyone to promote the fact that print is good!

Since there are so many great sites out there, it is inevitable that we may have left some out. So if you know of a great green site we forgot, leave a comment and let us know the URL and what makes it YOUR pick.

Eco-friendly, Recycled Tabs: The better choice

Want to go green, but not sure where to start? Check out the recycled tabs  from Green Books N Binders. They’re a subtle switch that can reduce your company’s carbon footprint with no added implementation cost.

Made from 100% recycled material and mylar-free, Green Books N Binders’ tabs are also fully recyclable. You can customize them however you want – either on your inkjet printer or send us your artwork and we can print it for you.

The print area ranges from tab to full bleed and the tabs can be printed in black and white or color. Our recycled tabs come in standard banks of 5, but again that can be customized for your specific project needs.

Our recycled tabs are not only good for the environment but they look good too! Adding custom recycled tabs to your binders is a great way to ease into a more sustainable way of doing business and stay organized (and they look even better when added to a Low-Carb Binder!) With prices comparable to other tabs, the choice is obvious – Choose eco-friendly tabs from Green Books N Binders.

Get more information about recycled tabs.

Green Your Recycling

Recycling is important and helps ensure a long-lasting, healthy environment for years to come. And we should all do our part to recycle our products, whatever they may be, after we’re done using them. But what about considering recyclability from the top down – before we purchase these items?

Here are 5 things to look for to “green” your recycling:

1. Buy Recycled!

Try to buy products that are already recycled or contain some content of Post Consumer Waste. It’s not as hard as it may seem, many products you already buy (such as Low-Carb binders, cereal boxes or aluminum cans) likely contain some percent of recycled material.

2. Decipher between pre- and post-consumer waste. 

Both are good, but choosing the product with the highest post-consumer waste content best supports recycling efforts and programs.

3. Differentiate Recycled from Recyclable.

A recycled product is made from recycled material; a recyclable product is one that can be recycled at the end of its lifecycle. Purchasing something that is recycled already helps the environment, whereas a recyclable product is only meaningful if you actually intend to recycle it properly.

4. Get the Numbers.

For plastics, check the resin number to ensure they can be thrown in your basic curbside recycling bin before you buy.

5. Evaluate ease of recyclability.

Can all the pieces of the product be recycled together, or will you have to take it apart and recycle the pieces separately? (If you will need to take it apart, make sure it’s something you’re willing to do!)

Keeping these simple tips in mind during your next shopping trip is a great way to help the environment and even “green” your purchases. As you can see it takes little extra effort to do what’s right for the environment – and yourself!

Do you know the facts?

The Millcraft Group (Cleveland, OH) created an educational website devoted to raising awareness about the benefits of print, for both the environment and business. As we all know, there are many misconceptions and falsities circulating about the effectiveness and sustainability of print and this website does a great job of communicating the facts. See some excerpts below.

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Print Pays Off

Print drives higher ROI

Direct mail gives advertisers a 13-1 return (DMA)

Eight out of 10 households (79%) say they either read or scan the advertising mail sent to their homes

51% of consumers say traditional mail is their preferred method of contact (CMO Council)

Response rate for email marketing has fallen by 57% since 2004, but response rate from direct mail has risen 14% (IP)

Print is Sustainable

For every tree harvested in the U.S., three trees are planted (source AF&PA)

Paper is one of the most recycled products used in the U.S.

Total recovery rate for all paper in US was more than 63% in 2009, 340 pounds per capita.

Paper made from 30% PCW used 10% less energy to make, produces 25% less waste water and 6% less greenhouse gas emissions. Each ton conserves about 15 trees. (Environmental Defense Paper Calculator)

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Find more facts and information about how Print is Good at http://doyouknowthefacts.com/

How Serious Are You About Sustainability?

Traditional binders are made of multiple pieces of vinyl and PVC – some of the most environmentally harmful plastics. Sealed together with a heat press, the assembly of traditional binders makes recycling nearly impossible. As a result, most (if not all) vinyl binders end up in landfills.

Simply changing binder usage can have a significant impact on the environment.

Made of 98% recycled material, vinyl free and designed to be easily taken apart for recycling, the Low-Carb Binder immediately reduces your company’s carbon footprint. With prices comparable to vinyl binders, the Low-Carb Binder can help your company reach its sustainability goals with no investment or added cost.  

Take the first step. Go Vinyl Free.

Where does your vinyl go?

Binders are used every day by businesses of all sizes. They typically are used until they begin to fall apart at which point they are no longer useful. When the vinyl cracks or rips or the rings lose strength, it’s time to replace your binder – so what do you do with the old one? Most likely you toss it in your office wastebasket, not thinking about the ramifications of that action. When vinyl binders are thrown into a regular wastebasket, they will end up in a landfill. Since PVC is known to be one of the “worst” plastics for the environment and is not biodegradable, those vinyl binders will sit in that landfill, causing environmental damage for years to come.

Of course there is the alternative to recycle your vinyl binder, but have you ever tried? It would include a laborious process of ripping vinyl off three (yes, three) separate pieces of cardboard, and attempting to remove metal rings which were riveted with a machine (i.e. not intended for removal). And then the question arises of what to do with the vinyl once you’ve removed it. Who has the time, energy or patience to do that?

Vinyl binders are harmful to the environment and difficult to recycle and until now they were the only option for looseleaf paperwork or presentations.

Enter the Low-Carb Binder™.

The Low-Carb Binder is an innovative product that simplifies not only the production process of binders, but perhaps more importantly, the recycling process. Made of 100% recycled chipboard and recyclable metal rings that can be attached upon receipt, the Low-Carb Binder changes the face of binders forever. They ship flat, are designed for easy disposal and can be customized to fit any brand with unique (and eco-friendly) spine wraps and labels. And you’re not sacrificing quality – Low-Carb Binders are just as durable as those harmful vinyl binders you’re currently using. See for yourself. Order a sample.

Reduce your carbon footprint. Go Low-Carb today.

Go Vinyl Free in 2010

Binders are used every day by businesses of all sizes. Traditional binders are made of cardboard covered in vinyl (which, may I remind you, is known to be one of the worst plastics for the environment) with a plastic overlay and metal rings permanently attached. Overall they are very inefficient, harmful to the environment and almost impossible to recycle.

With all of the environmentally friendly options available, there is no better time to go vinyl free and invest in recycled and fully recyclable binders. Making the switch from vinyl to recycled binders will immediately reduce your company’s carbon footprint and result in no added implementation cost.

When determining which route to take, always take into account these guidelines: Reduce, Reuse, Renew.  

• Reduce
  The recycled binder you choose to use should contain no vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (clear plastic); instead it should be made from recycled chipboard.
• Reuse
  Look for a high content of PCW (post-consumer waste) and ensure the binder is fully recyclable. Most importantly, make sure the rings are designed to be easily removed for simple recycling (many are not!)
• Renew
  Does the company that makes your binders operate on wind power or renewable energy? Do they provide carbon neutral shipping?

Green Books N Binders does all this and more. Our patent-pending Low-Carb Binder is made from 98% recycled material and contains recycled metal rings that can easily be removed for quick disposal.

Low-Carb Binders are available in two unique designs:

1. Low-Carb Original – Ships flat with recycled metal rings that can be attached upon receipt with a snap-in fastener.

2. Low-Carb Ready – Ships assembled with removable rivets that can be unscrewed for easy recycling.

There are many add-ons to choose from as well.

Recycled tabs can be ordered blank, or printed black & white or full-color. The print area ranges anywhere from tab to full-bleed.

Pockets and half folders are also available. Pockets come slotted on one side for business cards and on the other for CD/DVDs.

Recycled labels come blank with any order of Low-Carb Binders. They can be custom printed and attached prior to receipt.

The Low-Carb Binder is fully recyclable and is designed to be easily taken apart. It is the perfect solution for all of your archival and communication needs, both internally and externally. If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint (and who isn’t?), go vinyl free in 2010 with the Low-Carb Binder; your customers will thank you for it!

Download the Low-Carb Brochure.

Request more information.

Have a Green Mother’s Day

As we all know, Mother’s Day is fast approaching this Sunday, May 9^th 2010. While many of you may still be scrambling for gift ideas, there’s a ton of ways to show your appreciation in a unique way while remaining eco-friendly. Here are a few of our tips below:

1. Show off your green thumb.

Instead of sending flowers, bring Mom a flower instead (or bring seeds and help her plant them.) For a unique seed idea, check out www.seedballz.com.

2. Enjoy the outdoors.

It’s the perfect time of year for a relaxing walk. Enjoy nature before it gets unbearably hot (and it’s cost friendly too!)

3. Get Creative.

Instead of buying a card last minute at the store (likely with a large carbon footprint), make your own using materials you already have. Decorate a potholder, make a homemade frame or paint a plate and use that as your card; your mom will surely remember it for years to come!

Make this Mother’s Day one to remember. Give back to your mom (or grandmother, sister, aunt…) and give back to the Earth at the same time – every little bit helps! 

P.S. – If you absolutely have to buy a card, try to get one that’s made with recycled paper and is fully recyclable. See guidelines here.