HOW SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN IS TODAY'S MODERN PRINTING INDUSTRY? MYTHS AND FACTS

Abstract

Going green ... So many projects to reduce environmental impact start this way and continue with the first task being to eliminate printed communication and go paperless and digital. All this is not driven by thoughtful environmental considerations, but by an aversion to paper-based communication that is wrongly anchored in the social consciousness. The authors draw attention to the misconceptions that people have about paper-based communication, showing that they are untrue and that they are often used to greenwash the digital world, thus distracting attention from the harmful environmental impact of their own processes. At the same time, they present the facts against the myths, citing scientific sources and reports, as well as their own research. They analyse the real environmental impacts of paper-based communication and the extent to which technology processes meet sustainability requirements. The world of print communication (including the modern printing industry) attaches great importance to sustainability. The Gutenberg galaxy has provided the basis for the development of human knowledge and culture for half a millennium and plans to continue to play this role in the future. It aims to meet the requirements of environmental sustainability, the circular economy and to work with the rest of the supply chain to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The authors detail and analyse these processes in their work.