Indigo Books & Music Inc. (TSX: IDG), Canada's largest bookseller is the first book retailer to require their suppliers to report on the environmental qualities of the paper their books are published on. Specifically, Indigo has asked suppliers to identify whether a book contains any environmental papers. Environmental papers are those that contain post consumer recycled content or are derived from sustainably manage forests. FSC-certified papers are those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and note the highest of environmental considerations in forest management.

As part of Indigo's ongoing sustainability efforts, the company is today announcing that thousands of titles have been reported on by publishers since the programs' inception. Consumers will be able to see which books contain environmental papers using Indigo's website and in-store kiosks. In heightening the visibility of this information, Indigo's main objective is to reduce the environmental and carbon impact of book publishing by changing the way paper used in books is sourced. Presently, some publishers do show the paper source and content of FSC and PCW paper used in printing, but this information is not widely offered. As this is a new initiative, many publishers are now establishing processes to gather this information for reporting.

According to Joel Silver, Indigo's President, "Approximately 75% of the book industry's greenhouse gases are attributable to the paper used in books(i). By encouraging the use of FSC-certified and recycled paper, and providing this information both online and through in-store kiosks, Indigo now provides information that allows consumers to make informed decisions about where the paper content of their book comes from while encouraging the industry to make better paper choices".

Indigo continues to engage with the publishing community to raise awareness of this initiative, setting an ambitious goal of reaching 50% of recycled paper content in books within five years. Indigo recognizes the leadership in this area from companies such as Raincoast Books and Scholastic Canada, who have been amongst the first to offer this transparency to their customers.

According to Jamie Broadhurst, VP, Marketing at Raincoast, "As the first publisher in the world to use environmental papers in the printing of Harry Potter, Raincoast knows that readers are rightly concerned about how books are printed and will support publishers who make the extra effort. We and our publishing partners are very pleased to support Indigo's retail efforts to encourage the use of more recycled or FSC certified papers. Once again leadership is coming from a Canadian company".

Nicole Rycroft, Executive Director of environmental organization Canopy said "Paper that is not FSC certified or recycled currently comes at the cost of woodland caribou, bear and song bird habitat -- and our climate's future. Indigo's leadership to make books a more sustainable product is commendable and pioneering."

Given that paper is where Indigo has its heaviest carbon and biodiversity footprint, Indigo has implemented an Environmental Paper Policy. Through this policy, the Company aims to eliminate its use of wood fibre from endangered forests, and facilitate a broader sustainability shift in the publishing and paper supply chain. The paper policy is one part of a broad commitment by Indigo Books & Music to environmental sustainability.

For more information please visit the website at www.chapters.indigo.ca/environment.

About Indigo Books & Music Inc.

Indigo is a Canadian publicly traded company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IDG), and the largest book retailer in Canada, operating bookstores in all provinces under the names Indigo Books Music & more, Chapters, The World's Biggest Bookstore and Coles. Indigo operates www.chapters.indigo.ca, an online retailer of books, gifts, videos, and DVDs.

In 2004, Indigo founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, a registered charity whose mission is to provide new books and creative learning materials to high-needs elementary schools, enhancing the literacy and self-esteem of students in Canada. Visit www.loveofreading.org for more information.

In 2008, Chapters and Indigo were rated as the number one and number two retailers in Canada by the Kubas Major Market Retail Report.

To learn more about Indigo, please visit the About Our Company section of chapters.indigo.ca.

(i) This statistic refers to the biomass lost when forests are logged to provide fibre, wood harvest and transportation, methane release associated with landfill degeneration and paper production.

Indigo Books & Music, Inc.

Indigo Books & Music, Inc.

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