A Field Guide: Eco-Friendly, Efficient, and Effective Print
"Sustainable design" has become the catchphrase of the new millennium. Although many graphic designers have embraced the concept, they have found it challenging to sort through the mass of information to identify and verify environmentally friendly materials and practices.
With the publication of its eco-friendly guide for graphic arts professionals titled A Field Guide: Ecofriendly, Efficient and Effective Print, Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. has compiled a single resource that presents objective information and points out alternatives for design decisions that support sustainability without sacrificing style and impact. An exercise in sustainability itself, this latest educational piece from Monadnock articulates the message that eco-friendly design can be cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive, and beautiful. Among other things, the guide is printed on Monadnock's Astrolite PC100, a 100-percent uncoated post-consumer fiber, process chlorine free, archival-quality paper.
"Our goal was to create a truly environmentally friendly piece," says Richard Verney, Chairman and CEO of Monadnock Paper Mills. "The purpose of the guide is to give graphic professionals the opportunity to think about design differently."
The guide doesn't tell designers what to do nor does it advocate that they follow every suggestion. Rather, it gives graphic professionals the opportunity to think about the environmental impact of their design decisions and to consider where they can implement alternatives.
Designed for Monadnock by HowellMartin Marketing and Advertising, A Field Guide is inspired by nature field guides. Photography throughout the piece makes the connection between the use of resources and the ripple effect on nature. The guide presents information from choosing a paper source to binding the finished piece, including paper types, contents and chemical labeling; sizing to reduce paper waste; inks, finishing techniques, and coatings; binding; printing processes; and the use of environmental logos.
Developing the guide was in keeping with Monadnock's own commitment to environmental stewardship. The family-owned paper company, situated on the beautiful Contoocook River in New Hampshire, has received numerous certificates of recognition for environmental initiatives advocating sustainability. Monadnock was the first paper mill to receive Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody certification for its Astrolite PC 100.
"Throughout its history, Monadnock has taken its role as a steward of the environment seriously," says Verney. "A Field Guide is no exception."
