Environmental Lingo

Environmental Lingo

Print related environmental terminology

Alcohol-free or low-alcohol printing Lithographic printing that uses reduced amounts or no isopropyl alcohol (IPA), thereby reducing VOC emissions.

Carbon Balanced Paper The carbon impact of the production and distribution process of the paper has been balanced by the World Land Trust.

Carbon Balanced Printer The unavoidable carbon emissions of a business are calculated, verified by a 3rd Party and balanced and certified by a body such as the World Land Trust.

Carbon Balanced Publication The carbon impacts of the ‘whole production’ of the printed item has been estimated and balanced by the World Land Trust (Carbon Balanced Publication = Carbon Balanced Printer + Using Carbon Balanced Paper).

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) The primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. CO2 is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth’s carbon cycle (the natural circulation of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals). Human activities are altering the carbon cycle by adding more CO2 to the atmosphere faster than natural processes can remove it. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is therefore increasing, which is causing global climate change.

Carbon Footprint The measurement of the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product. A carbon footprint is measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).

Carbon Neutral A term used to describe a carbon reduction solution. The overall goal of carbon neutrality is to achieve a zero carbon footprint.

Carbon Offset A reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate, balance or offset an emission made elsewhere.

Climate Change A large-scale, long-term shift in the planet’s weather patterns or average temperatures.

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) A a voluntary environmental management instrument, which was developed in 1993 by the European Commission. It enables organisations to assess, manage and continuously improve their environmental performance.

Elemental chlorine-free (ECF) Papers produced from pulp that has been bleached with a chlorine derivative such as chlorine dioxide (ClO2), instead of using the environmentally less acceptable chlorine gas method of bleaching.

FSC® The Forest Stewardship Council® is an international non-profit making organisation founded to support the world’s forests. FSC helps take care of forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. FSC certification is your assurance that wood, paper and other forest products have been responsibly sourced from well-managed forests and/or recycled materials.

FSC® Logo An imprint on a wood or wood based product, an assurance that it is made with, or contains wood that comes from FSC certified forests or from post-consumer waste.

FSC® 100% Containing nothing but fibre from FSC certified forests.

FSC® Mix The timber or fibre in the product is a mixture of some/all of the following; Timber or fibre from an FSC-certified forest, reclaimed timber or fibre, timber or fibre from other controlled sources.

FSC® Recycled All the timber or fibre in the product is reclaimed material. This represents both pre- and post-consumer recycled material.

Greenhouse Gases Certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) that trap energy from the sun.

Greenmark Developed by the London Environment Centre (LEC), part of London Metropolitan University and is more appropriate for smaller companies who lack the resources for IS0 14001. All participants enter the scheme at Level One where you must demonstrate that you are taking responsibility for your environmental impacts. Further levels involve recommendations being made and targets being set and met for reducing environmental impact.

ISO 14001 An internationally recognised standard that specifies the requirements of an environmental management system. It enables a company to identify where it has an impact on the environment and implement a plan to reduce that impact. The rigorous standard covers a wide range of environmental issues from the selection of resources, through to the production of work and the disposal of waste.

Post-consumer waste Is when the end product has reached the consumer, been used and then recycled.

Pre-consumer waste Also known as post-industrial waste, this describes printers’ waste such as off-cuts and unused copies which may have been over-ordered.

Processed chlorine-free (PCF) Uses totally chlorine free processing and includes recycled content. Both the recycled fibre and any virgin fibre must be bleached without chlorine or chlorine compounds.

Recyclable To treat or process to make suitable for reuse.

Recycled logo Can be used on any recycled stock, regardless of whether it is controlled by a body such as FSC.

Recycled paper Is paper that is reconstituted into paper again.

Renewable energy Is energy generated from natural resources that quickly replenish themselves and can be used again and again such as solar, wind, tidal, wave, geothermal heat, hydrological or hydroelectric, biomass and wood.

Sustainable business A business that has minimal negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy.

Totally chlorine-free (TCF) Paper produced with pulp that has been bleached without any type of chlorine, or that has not been bleached at all.

TwoSides A forum informing paper users everywhere that print and paper is an attractive and sustainable means of communication, visit www.twosides.info.

Vegetable-oil based ink Can be made from a variety of vegetable oils including soy-bean, corn, and linseed oils. Replacing mineral oil with vegetable oil means that you can reduce or even cut out VOC emissions.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids.

Woodland Carbon A scheme run by the Woodland Trust to lock carbon emissions through planting trees to create new UK woodland – nature’s simple and powerful way of removing carbon dioxide from the environment.

World Land Trust (WLT) An international conservation charity, which protects the world’s most biologically important and threatened habitats acre by acre.

Woodland Trust The UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. Founded in 1972, they were the first to stand against the spiralling threats to our precious woods and trees, and remain at the forefront of the fight to protect, plant and restore UK woodland.

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