When we started North West Digital some 30 or so years ago, the environment just wasn’t something we ever thought about; whether or not our machines were environmentally friendly just wouldn’t have appeared on our horizon and if you’d spoken to us about our carbon footprint or corporate social responsibility we’d probably have called the men in white coats.

 

But what a difference a couple of decades makes! These days, the environmental benefits (or otherwise) of the work we do is at the forefront of our business models, and not just for us but for everyone; it even now forms part of our legal compliance. You can’t move in business now without someone talking to you about how to reduce your carbon footprint or how to be more environmentally responsible and, in our humble opinion, it’s about time. After all, we’ve only got one world and it’s the concern of every single one of us to protect it for our children and their children too. 

 

 

 

That’s why, here at North West Digital, we take the environment very seriously, and not just because we’re in an industry that can often be perceived as particularly damaging. As you’ll see if you follow us on social media, we care about it because it matters, and fortunately, it’s something that the print industry as a whole has started to take much more seriously in recent years, with great strides being made towards the goal of leaving the world a better place than we found it.

 

The Print Industry and The Environment

 

The print and printing industry is massive; since the invention of the first printing press in about 1440, it has been growing exponentially and is now expected to reach a global turnover of $980 billion by 2018. We humans really love printing stuff.

 

And obviously the downside of this obsession with putting words onto paper is the horrendous drain it has made on the planet’s resources; the destruction of forests to create the huge volumes of paper we need, the electricity needed to fuel the factories that produce the paper and the inks, the chemicals used in that production and, of course, the high percentage of waste produced at all stages of the process.

 

But actually, thanks to a shift in our mindset and numerous technological advances over the last 20 years, the printing industry has actually managed to turn this whole situation around and is no longer the massive environmental black hole that it once was.

 

Print That Improves The Environment

 

In fact, far from being one of the biggest culprits in crimes against the environment, the printing industry is actually now leading the revolution in eco-friendly processes and, in several key areas, we’re actually benefitting the environment rather than harming it. Just take a look at some of these statistics that featured in a recent article by Print Power, entitled Print Media and the Environment;

 

• Sustainability is one of the most heavily researched areas in the print media sector, placing the industry at the forefront of environmental responsibility.
• European forests have grown by over 30% since 1950, thanks to the well-managed and sustainable forestry methods used in the production of paper.
• Thanks to the increased use of biomass energy rather than fossil fuels, the industrial process of producing paper is now relatively efficient when compared to other industries, and this is still improving yearly.
• As a result of environmental printing methods, such as using vegetable-based inks, recycling cleaning solvents and waste, sourcing paper from sustainable and well-managed forests and offsetting carbon emissions, the printing sector as a whole has massively reduced its carbon footprint.
• More paper than ever is now being recycled, with paper far outstripping plastic and glass in the global recycling figures. In fact, by 2010, 72.2% of paper was recycled in Europe, with that figure expected to continue to grow each year.

 

 

So, far from being one of the worst offenders against the environment, the printing industry is now actually at the forefront of the global efforts to save the planet. And if you’re still in doubt, then a recent report by the Swedish Royal Institute for Technology stated that reading a print newspaper can actually consume 20% less carbon than viewing the news online.

 

Helping You Do Your Bit

 

But of course, saving the planet is not only the reserve of big industry; it is incumbent on all of us to do our bit for the environment, no matter how small our efforts are. That’s why NWD is committed to helping your business improve your carbon footprint too, and improve your bottom line in the process.

 

All of the machines that we supply, whether printers, scanners, copiers or the big networked MFDs, are super energy efficient, so you use less electricity to run them and can thus save yourself a small fortune over the course of a year. What’s more, with newer, updated machines, you will be making the most of the latest advances in technology, such as more environmentally friendly process and consumables, like vastly improved inks.

 

 

Thanks to these super-efficient new machines, your processes will be greatly speeded up, improving your productivity and diminishing the associated costs from all angles, which not only saves the environment but also saves your business time and money, so everyone wins. Just by swapping your old, inefficient devices for brand new economical ones, you could instantly see the benefits to your bottom line and your carbon footprint.

 

Get In Touch

 

If you’d like to find out more about just how North West Digital could help your business to be more environmentally aware then please get in touch with us today for a no obligation chat. We can not only supply you with the latest printing, scanning, copying or faxing devices, but we can also advise you on a number of other ways that your business can reduce its carbon footprint and save a small fortune. And of course, all of it will be backed up by our exceptional customer service, delivered by our experienced and knowledgeable technicians.

 

You can contact us in any of the usual ways; by emailing us at info@, phoning us on 0161 477 8950 or by completing the contact form on the website for one of our friendly team to get back to you.

 

 

And don’t forget to follow us on social media too, to get regular updates on the environmental improvements in the printing industry and to be the first to hear about our news and special offers. You can follow us on Twitter, like our page on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+.