Green Book

In the 1990s, when home computers became ubiquitous and offices around the world were transformed by the arrival of computer technology en masse, it was common to hear that we were entering a new age of the ‘paperless office’. Well, it didn’t turn out quite like that; in fact, paper consumption has gone up since small computers were introduced, probably because more people are producing more material that can be printed and paper seems to be an irresistible medium. The same applies to books – there are more of them than ever before, especially with all these celebrities publishing biographies after only two years of life in the spotlight. But for us, environmentally-minded, there’s always the question: is there such a thing as ‘a green book’?

There’s a good reason to worry about paper. According to a report on the Planet Green website (part of the Discovery network), it takes about 12,000 trees to produce one million copies of a 250-page tome. Sure, most titles don’t sell that many copies but we get an idea of the impact.

The ‘green book publishing industry’ does not really exist. But a share of consumers and some authors expect that books are published with wood fiber from certified woods. Certification is issued by the Forest Stewardship Council, which guarantees the fiber comes from sustainable sources. That’s the second best option; printing on recycled paper is always best since it does not require any new wood fiber. Ink is another concern. It can contain hazardous metals and chemicals, including petroleum-based oils. A green book should be printed with vegetable oils instead.

Another measure book editors can take is to opt for onscreen editing instead of marking up books on hard copy. As a general rule, people working in the publishing industry should be very conscientious about the number of times a draft manuscript or galley proof is printed. Any paper used for printing should be re-used later, which is something that many offices already do. Besides being green, it can save a company a considerable amount of money. Finally, before going ahead and sending a book to the printer, there is always the option of launching it as ebook, the ultimate green book. OK, perhaps fiction author dreams of a traditional hard-copy book, but other types of books, such as a company or NGO report, find an ideal fit in this format. It sends a positive message and it gets distributed much more quickly, with no cost for the company or the planet.