Eco-Friendly Book Production: Choosing Sustainable Materials

Eco-Friendly Book Production

This is a theme that has long been on my mind and in consciousness having edited and contributed a chapter to the recently published book, 'Conversations on Plastic' by Anne Hayden (ShadowScript Publications, 2023). Did you know, studies estimate about 1.4 billion trees end up in landfills every year, because of product packaging and other paper waste? (Cushman-Roisin, 2022). Estimates suggest anywhere from 4 billion trees to 8 billion trees used for paper every year (8billiontrees.com). That's a mind staggering 42 million trees being cut down daily for both paper and other products. 

Despite this, I think it's fair to say that people, in general, are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their choices across areas they may not have considered before (WorldCounts, 2022). This is a good thing and includes the books they read. Eco-friendly book production is gaining traction as indie and mainstream publishers and readers seek sustainable options and we've been at the forefront of this for several years now at ShadowScript Publications. We have a cute little sign off on all our book copyright pages, 'viva la forests'. 

Choosing sustainable materials is a key part of this movement. It helps reduce the carbon footprint and conserves natural resources, ensuring that the resources used can be replenished naturally. You'd be amazed at how resourceful our environment and sustainability team of Conor, Clara and Anne have become in their planning and strategy sessions. 

An average paperback book has around three times the climate impact at around 1 kilogram of equivalent CO2. That's the same as charging 122 smart phones, or making two café lattes. Wow! Just think about that for a moment. Practically everything we do has an environmental impact. 

How does this tend to play itself out? According to 2023 data from the literary industry research group WordsRated, when it comes to pulp and paper, print book publishing is the world's third-largest industrial greenhouse gas emitter, and 32 million trees are felled each year in the United States alone to make paper for books. Every American consumes about 3.6 trees per year in paper and cardboard (Cushman-Roisin, 2022).  

That is a hell of a lot of trees and I love forests, but more about that later in this blog. 

Using these materials helps protect forests and reduces waste. It also promotes the use of renewable resources (Bologna & Aquino, 2020). By opting for sustainable materials, us publishers can make a significant impact on our world by contributing, even in small ways, to a healthier planet.

So, what can we do? Well, we can include recycled paper, FSC-certified paper, and soy-based inks in our books just as some examples. Recycled paper is made from post-consumer waste and this reduces the need for virgin paper and helps conserve forests.

FSC-certified paper comes from responsibly managed forests. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ensures that the paper meets strict environmental standards. We place a note on our copyright pages to this effect and you'd be (happily) surprised with the amount of queries we now get in asking us about our sustainable practices initiatives. 

Environmentally conscious readers are more likely to choose books that align with their values. Here are some examples of interesting and thought-provoking books published on the themes of eco awareness: 

About consumption: 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellogg

This book is easy to read and perfect for anyone aiming to reduce their ecological footprint. Inside, you'll discover practical tips for smarter consumption, benefiting both your health and the planet. 

About consumer society and production: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, by Michael Braungart and William McDonough

While most books and ideologies emphasise reducing waste and consumption, this book centers on production. It explores the concept of designing products so that, after their useful life, they can be repurposed and enter a new cycle of use. 

About recycling: Recycling and Recycling of Engineering Materials: Recycling for Sustainable Developments by Md. Nizam Uddin, E. Asmatulu, Waseem S. Khan, Ramazan Asmatulu

In recent years, significant efforts have been made in both industry and academia to advance material recycling. Many countries strive to reduce waste through recycling. This book highlights and explores the latest developments in recycling processes and modern techniques.

How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee

Have you ever wondered about the CO2 footprint of your breakfast or ski trip? This book provides the CO2 footprints of various activities, offering both eye-opening and entertaining reading! 

Challenges and Solutions

While there are many benefits, there are also challenges. Sustainable materials While there are numerous benefits, there are also challenges. Sustainable materials can be more expensive and difficult to source. Carl-Otto Gensch's research shows that producing ten 200-page books from fresh-fiber paper results in about eleven kilograms of CO2 emissions. For books made from recycled paper, emissions are approximately two kilograms lower, totaling around nine kilograms of CO2. 

However, there are solutions to these challenges. While the production of a new book requires the destruction of precious natural resources and results in CO2 being released into the atmosphere, buying a used book skips the production process and reduces its carbon footprint

Publishers can work with suppliers to find cost-effective options. Purchasing three paper books a month for four years produces around 1,074 kg of CO2in comparison. A consumer could purchase around 22.5 paper books before it would be more environmentally friendly to use a Kindle.

Printing to order (print on demand) rather than printing to projection reduces waste at each step of the process - shipping, stocking, storing and potentially destroying books. Ensure the printing ink is water-based and delivered in reusable containers that are recyclable. Print on recycled paper. ‍

They can also educate readers about the importance of sustainable materials. This can create demand and drive change in the industry.

Conclusion

The world’s forests cover about 32% of the Earth’s surface and yet 50 million acres of rainforests are felled annually, so we should not be complacent (The Guardian, 2007). The number one problem? Mass consumption.

Indeed, the average Ecological Footprint of Irish residents is 4.8 global hectares per person, whilst the world average is 2.8 global hectares per person, so we are not doing very well. 

Sustainability in publishing means adopting more responsible and efficient practices that reduce the environmental footprint of the industry and its products, while also ensuring its economic viability and social equity. 1 ton of non-coated, not recycled office/print paper requires approximately 24 trees for production whilst a ton of coated, paper, like the pages that are used for magazines, needs over 15 trees to produce. So, we simply HAVE to consider other alternatives and they are out there.

References

https://tuul.xyz/blog/7-eco-conscious-books-to-read/ 

Bologna, M., & Aquino, G. (2020, May 6). Deforestation and World Population Sustainability: A Quantitative Analysis. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 7631. <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63657-6>

Cushman-Roisin, B. (2022, February 3). Forest and Paper Industry: A Mature Industry That Has Done Much to Clean Up Its Act. Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from <https://cushman.host.dartmouth.edu/courses/engs171/Paper.pdf>

The Guardian Newspaper (2007). 'We must find ways of putting a price on rainforests, which makes them more valuable alive than dead'. 

Stancil, J. M. (2019, June 3). The Power of One Tree – The Very Air We Breathe. USDA. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from <https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2015/03/17/power-one-tree-very-air-we-breathe>

Ward, S. (2021, September 30). Forestry Statistics and Forestry Facts & Figures. Forest Research. Retrieved June 25th, 2024, from <https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/>

Wikipedia. (2022, June 20th). Deforestation. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation>

WorldCounts. (2022). Retrieved June 25th, 2024, from <https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/forests-and-deserts/rate-of-deforestation>