Now that you’ve started using every single piece of paper in your office twice, you may ask—what do I do for those business cards, brochures, receipts, invoices, letterhead…. anything that doesn’t come off of that office printer? There is a simple solution, of course. Choose a green printer. But don’t just take the printer’s word for it that the company does its best to protect the environment. Make sure it has the stamp of approval from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international organization that brings people together to find solutions which promote responsible stewardship of the world’s forests.

In order to meet FSC’s strict standards for certification, green printers’ processes include:

·        Recycling paper and inks

·        Using vegetable-based inks for print

·        Using pastes as ink for digital presses

·        Using FSC-certified paper and print products

By following these standards, the printers cause less harm to the environment and contribute to conservation, responsible management, and community-level benefits for people near the forests that provide paper.

To find a FSC-certified printer, go here: http://www.fscus.org/paper/ and then click on the “Certified Printers” pdf file on the right.

Just think, if enough companies switch over to FSC-certified printers, the FSC system might actually meet its goal—to eliminate habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous peoples and violence against people and wildlife that often accompanies logging.