Brian J. Back

When I finally checked out and pushed through to a new line at the delivery department, I was told to pencil in a form for every single item I wanted delivered (apparently a scan of my receipt would not work), which at that point was everything except a dozen glasses and coffee cups. So on the way out I stopped at a cashier and asked her for a bag to put the cups in.

“A bag costs a nickel,” she said.

I searched my pockets and found no change, so I handed her a dollar bill. “Sorry, I can’t make change because this register is shut down; you’ll have to wait in line over there,” she said, pointing into a sea of people. “It’s for the environment,” she added.

I wanted to tell her what our business does for the environment, but I quickly realized that, after spending hours in Ikea’s sun-starved warehouse- labyrinth, I was on the verge of making a big scene. So I left bagless, juggling cups, and returned to the office questioning the potential disconnect between a company’s well-intentioned environmental initiatives and how those initiatives work in practice.

Often I’m reminded, especially by my walk-the-talk team, about the importance of our own business decisions and the role we can play by being transparent, both internally and externally. We do a lot of different things that we don’t talk about much, from purchasing greener office supplies and constantly pursuing more efficient systems, to choosing the right headquarters. But let’s face it, the magazine industry has some dirty little secrets. (Just think of all of the recent “green”-themed issues of mainstream titles printed on glossy, virgin paper.)

As a regional B2B title, we have a small circulation relative to national consumer titles, but we’re proud to serve as an industry leader in our printing and paper process, and we’ve earned some prestigious awards for doing so. We’ve also maintained an outstanding partnership with 3Degrees to offset 100 percent of the energy used in our printing and paper production with emission-free wind power.

Readers of our print publication may notice that with last month’s issue, we switched to a new paper and printer, and the whole process reaffirmed to me how complicated and challenging these types of decisions can be for any business. With this switch we’ve realized some overdue improvements such as a much crisper, ink-efficient print quality, and a more efficient prepress process that embraces new technologies.

We’re currently working with a printer and mail house located farther away geographically, and our printer sources its 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper overseas (curiously close to Ikea’s international headquarters). Although such distances are the norm in the industry, I hold no illusions about the environmental impact of long-distance logistics. I also question the long-term viability of this business model without major continued innovation in the fuel-efficiency of large-scale transport. Paper prices have increased significantly in the past year, and we’ve been able to secure the most aggressive pricing I’ve seen anywhere for high- quality 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper. Publishing is a notoriously tough business, and better pricing protects our business viability and, in turn, our ability to serve you. Of course, price isn’t the only driver.

Our Cyclus paper comes from Denmark’s Dalum Mill, billed as the “most environmentally friendly fine paper mill in the world” (I feel more comfortable calling it “one of the most environmentally friendly paper mills in the world” because of the outstanding work by other mills such as Grays Harbor Paper in Washington [see “Industrial evolution,” SI, August 2005]).

In addition to its claims that water emissions from the mill are in many ways cleaner that water it draws from a nearby river, Dalum Mill’s innovations include:

• Energy use, CO₂ emissions and water use are a fraction of that at traditional mills
• 100 percent chlorine-free process
• 100 percent de-inked pulp
• 100 percent of production residuals reused
• Increased use of biofuels and biomass in local power supply
• Wide variety of environmental certifications, including FSC and the EU Flower

Ultimately, throughout the entire business we are decreasing our reliance on paper as our main vehicle for everything from billing and marketing to the main task of providing content. With our events, Webinars, online and newsletter offerings at www.sustainableindustries.com, Sustainable Industries is clearly no longer a one-trick print pony. This year, for the first time ever, we are producing quarterly supplements such as the “Green Real Estate Guide,” “Top 10 Green Building Products” and “Business Clean Energy Handbook” in digital-only format. The environmental benefits of this medium are enormous, and we’re also able to provide more widespread distribution and interactive content. In addition, we provide digital-only subscriptions of in building materials, fertilizer and energy production our print edition, and encourage this avenue for readers who want to vote with their dollars to help wean us off paper.

I encourage all businesses to look at papercalculator.orgas a great source for weighing the environmental impact of their paper choices. I also urge other magazines, especially those trying to capitalize on “green,” to be transparent about their printing and paper processes so we can learn from one another and collectively push for industry-wide improvement.

I recognize that every business decision requires tradeoffs, every business is more or less imperfect, and often running a business feels much like orchestrating a cattle drive. At Ikea. But a little more understanding and a little more transparency can also foster better innovation for everyone engaged in sustainable industries.

Editor’s note: In last month’s Five-Year Anniversary Issue, my editorial saluting a list of stakeholders for our success neglected to acknowledge Linda Baker, whose support and superb reporting and writing helped establish the voice of Sustainable Industries and carry it out of its awkward adolescence. Thank you, Linda.