Print Green
Sustainability in print
PrintGreen was founded to champion the sustainable credentials of the print industry, with the mission to provide clear, accessible and accurate insights into the environmental impact of print – enabling brands, agencies and stakeholders to make informed, responsible choices.
PrintGreen sets out to empower brands, agencies and media professionals with greater transparency, education and actionable data around the carbon impact of their print campaigns.
CarbonQuota is proud to be at the forefront of sustainability in the Print industry, supporting the PrintGreen initiative. Launched through a collaboration between leading industry organisations – including The Strategic Mailing Partnership, MarketReach, Two Sides, BPIF, DMA, IPIA, Nutshell Creative, Webmart, Paragon and Tradeprint.
At the core of PrintGreen is a free to use carbon calculator, developed by CarbonQuota, enabling users to calculate a basic carbon footprint of their print projects by entering a few key specifications such as paper type, weight, pagination, print volume and mailing options. In return, they receive an instant, science-based carbon footprint that can help guide more sustainable choices and reduce environmental impact.
As sustainability leaders in print and packaging, CarbonQuota is delighted to support the PrintGreen initiative. By providing a high level product carbon calculator, we want to educate the industry and enable more informed and sustainable decisions.
FAQs
What is a product carbon footprint, and why is it important?
The manufacturing process for most products requires energy-intensive processes, which traditionally rely on burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. This releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which trap more heat than normal in the atmosphere, which accelerates global climate change. Understanding and reducing a product’s carbon footprint means you can then do something about climate change.
What’s the purpose of PrintGreen’s Carbon Calculator?
This calculator is designed to give you a starting point for understanding the environmental impact of your product and provides an indicative carbon footprint based on a typical UK supply chain.
What if I’m outside of the UK?
At the moment, the Carbon Calculator only represents a UK-based supply chain.
What is CO2e?
CO2e is the standard measure for carbon footprints. It includes carbon dioxide as well as the other most important greenhouse gases created by human activities that contribute to climate change. These are converted to a much simpler to understand ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’, or CO2e.
What is the biggest factor in the carbon footprint of printed products?
The substrate itself like paper or plastic is usually the dominant contributor to a carbon footprint, accounting on average for approximately 50% of its impact.
Is there a limit to the number of queries I can send?
This carbon calculator is provided free of charge and a fair use policy applies. Users are forbidden from adapting, changing or reverse engineering the carbon footprints in any way.
How do I know if this is a good carbon footprint?
There is no “good” or “bad” carbon footprint. By providing you with different carbon footprints for different options, you can make informed choices to reduce your environmental impact.
How can I reduce my carbon footprint?
There are many ways you can make significant reductions to your carbon footprints. These include investigating a range of specifications, materials, and manufacturing processes, reducing transport distances, and enabling the end user to recycle the item. If the product requires energy while it is used it is important to ensure it is powered by renewable electricity.
Can I share this with my customers?
Absolutely! It is intended to provide an indication of the carbon footprint of the job and demonstrate that the industry is working together to bring transparency to the sector.
What emissions factor sources do you use to come up with this carbon footprint value?
Product carbon footprints from CarbonQuota are calculated by accessing the widest possible range of databases and studies from across the world, which is being constantly updated and refreshed as new information becomes available. This combines actual supplier data, sector specialist data, paid for data, publicly available data, opensource data, and CarbonQuota’s expertise. This is always subject to data licensing permissions.
How accurate is this carbon footprint, and what assumptions have you made?
CarbonQuota adapts its model to most accurately represent the supply chain of specific users. Where possible primary data about the activity is used to improve the accuracy. CarbonQuota’s experts make assumptions and use secondary data where information is not available.
How do I know I can trust this value?
Carbon footprints are independently calculated and verified by CarbonQuota using their real-time engine. As specialists in the environmental impact of print, packaging, marketing and media sectors, CarbonQuota has developed a bespoke carbon footprint calculator powered by a unique database and algorithm which is externally assured against relevant international standards.
Can I use this carbon footprint for my corporate reporting?
How it can be used for reporting will depend on individual circumstances. Please discuss this with the relevant carbon management partner or auditor.
Can my organisation or my customers use this carbon footprint for official corporate reporting?
How it can be used for reporting will depend on a number of circumstances. Please discuss this with the relevant auditor or with your carbon management partner.
Is it possible to get a more detailed breakdown of the carbon footprint?
Please speak to your account manager or [email protected] to find out what is available.
What if I need more granular carbon footprint data?
CarbonQuota has a suite of carbon calculators covering operational and product carbon footprint calculators available via our extensive integration partner network or direct. Please talk to the CarbonQuota team to find the optimal solution for your business.
