You may have noticed that in the past couple of years everyone and everything has been encouraged to ‘go green’. ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ seems to be stamped onto an endless number of items ranging from shopping bags to emails.And why not? For too long now many businesses have used thousands of sheets of copier and printer paper each year, not to mention disposable ink cartridges and light bulbs which after a short life span get tossed aside for another cheap replacement.
Its about time we all started doing our bit for the environment and its something which isn't a new idea to us here at O&G. For many years we have recycled our paper, plastic, glass and metals; as well as using refillable ink cartridges, energy saving light bulbs and an online system which means we use as little paper as possible.
There has been a noticeable shift in our clients needs and requirements as well. We have recently undertaken a big project for one client who required all their stationery to be printed on recycled materials, whilst retaining their high quality appearance. Other clients have requested we print on paper sourced from sustainable forests and many clients are now exploring the environmentally friendly (and cost effective!) option of taking their projects online.
A large number of our suppliers have also adopted a more ethical approach to printing. Many are ISO certified and offer a variety of recycled and sustainable products to print onto ranging from paper to promotional merchandise such as mugs, clothes and office supplies.
We may have been in a recession but the awareness and demand for ‘green’ items has never been higher and is visible within every section of the design and marketing industry.
A great example of some ‘green’ marketing was recently sent to us by a top design industry magazine. The magazine was enclosed inside a biodegradable bag and accompanied by some free tomato seeds. The first shoots are now coming through and we hope they will grow into some organic, tasty tomatoes, perfect for use at our summer BBQ!
image taken from http://www.container-gardening-for-you.com/image-files/cherrytomatoplant2.jpg
