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The Big Debate: Print or Digital Media - Which is more Sustainable?
The Big Debate: Print or Digital Media - Which is more Sustainable?
Published 04-30-09
Submitted by SustainCommWorld
MERCER ISLAND, WA. - April 29, 2009 - Which is more sustainable, physical mail or email, a magazine page or a web page, a book or an ebook? Which has the larger carbon footprint and what is the risk to a brand if their messaging says one thing and their media supply chain choices say another?
Publishers, advertisers, marketers and supply chain professionals are increasingly being challenged to make decisions that address climate change and that are consistent with the principles of sustainability.
Carbon Dioxide has been ruled a pollutant dangerous to human life by the EPA, climate change legislation is pending in congress, and the leaders of 192 nations, including the US, China and India, will meet in Copenhagen this December to agree on a climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. With an eye to the future, what efforts can be taken to measure the carbon footprints and otherwise qualify and quantify arguments for the sustainability of print and/or digital media?
Leaders from publishing, the postal service, and printing who are addressing this issue now, will be speaking at The Green Media Conference, June 9 in Washington, DC. They will be speaking in a session entitled: The Great Debate. Addressing the audience will be:
- Hans Wegner, Vice President, Production Services, National Geographic
- Mike Fanning, Manager Business Development, United States Postal Service
- Dave Podmayersky, Director of Sustainability, Earth Color
"Sustainable supply chains and climate action are becoming mainstream priorities for leading brands and for government. Just as their governance policies, products, packaging and messages are being scrutinized, so to are their media supply chain choices "“ print, websites, emails, direct mail, advertising, brochures, tradeshows and events "“ all are being scrutinized as the next big area for improvement in sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions.
"Key questions that our speakers will address include:
- What standards and best practices can be employed to assess the sustainability of your operations and your media supply chain practices?
- What are the most significant challenges you face in reducing their carbon footprint and making them more sustainable?
- How will your media supply chain need to change in response to these issues, and what are the firms most likely to survive and thrive going to look like?
- What risks do the precarious state of the printing, papermaking and publishing industries present to government, business and society?
- What risks do the energy demands of IT, e-waste and the ephemeral nature of digital media present to government, business and society?
With the theme of "Expanding Lean & Green Opportunities," The Green Media Conference brings together practitioners, best practices and real world case studies on the production of sustainable media and illustrating how to make money at the same time. Attendees to SustainCommWorld events are marketing and advertising professionals who need the latest information to make sustainable advertising, printing and web decisions as well as analyses the businesses within their supply chains.
This June there will be two conferences, one in Washington, DC on June 9 and one in Chicago on June 23. Each city will have a different group of speakers addressing these issues. For more information on conference program and additional speakers, visit: http://www.GreenMediaConference.com
About SustainCommWorld
SustainCommWorld is focused on educating communication professionals from corporations, institutions and government agencies how to develop sustainable green workflows and supply chains to lower their carbon footprint. SustainCommWorld currently produces major events including The Business of Green Media Conference in cooperation with the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department and the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly, and The Green Media Conferences.
SustainCommWorld staff consults with institutions and enterprises on issues related to sustainable communication "“ the production of sustainable media and the associated business challenges and opportunities that face the graphic arts community, enterprise marketers and those involved in media production. Senior executives are frequent speakers at conferences around the world.
To further spread their green message, SustainCommWorld produces a bi-monthly newsletter Green Media Newsletter, Communicate Green Radio, a radio show debuting next fall and sponsors GreenMediaConnect, a social networking site featuring forums, blogs and resources. For more information visit, http://www.sustaincommworld.com
SustainCommWorld
SustainCommWorld
SustainCommWorld is focused on educating communication professionals (marketers, advertisers, publishers and printers) from corporations, institutions and government agencies how to develop sustainable green workflows and supply chains to lower their carbon footprint. SustainCommWorld currently produces two major events: "The Business of Green Media Conference" in cooperation with the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department and the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly, and "The Green Media Show," a conference and expo in Boston.
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