JOTS v36n2 - Resourceful Thinking about Printing and Related Industries: Economic Considerations and Environmental Sustainability

Increasing population, total economic volume, and human consumption levels have resulted in problems of resource shortages, climate change, ozone layer depletion, land regression, and deteriorating environmental pollution. Printing and related industries constitute one of the major sources of environmental pollution due to heavy energy and resource (materials) use. Therefore, there is a need to adopt resourceful thinking regarding activities in the printing and related industries, so they can contribute to environmental protection by adhering to greener, eco-friendly, and sustainable practices. This article discusses strategies that these industries could adopt, which would put their businesses on sound economic footing as they adhere to sustainable business practices that contribute to and safeguard the environment. Introduction Resourceful thinking about printing and related industries is much more than a focus on hardware and software acquisition in an effort to amass a profit. It is about finding the best tool to get the job done, lowering overhead costs, getting more for less, while eliminating or reducing the negative impact on the environment. As companies realize that wealth is created through technology and by adding value to natural resources, efforts need to be made to ensure that sustainable practices are put in place to protect the environment. Resourceful thinking is about meeting the challenges of creating an environment that fosters scientific discoveries and technological development. It involves the ability to know the demands of the environment, to respond to these demands with technological solutions, to create solutions that link and match the research with the actual demands of the environment, and to structure an environment that moves resourceful thinking through the global economic climate with a view of achieving the solutions needed to address business problems. Some of the strategies that printing and related industries can use to achieve the aforementioned goals include contributing to environmental and economic sustainability; using socially conscious, environmentally friendly products and packaging; establishing safety and efficacy in product design; using renewable and recyclable resources; supporting biodegradability; promoting sustainable harvesting practices; and being accountable to present and future generations of packaging products. These strategies are addressed in detail in this article; examples are given of how they are being used successful-