The Verdigris Project

Verdigris is about providing the graphic arts, printing and publishing industries, as well as print buyers, with information about print media’s environmental impact. It is about improving market perception of print and its carbon footprint. Verdigris is about helping print buyers, printers and publishers evaluate the carbon footprint of different media products, including digital delivery, over the lifecycle of the publication.

Why Verdigris?

The printing industry must get much better at presenting its green credentials, because printing is not about dead trees, polluting paper production, greasy ink and stinking landfills. This ugly image may have once been true but it does discredit to an industry which has changed dramatically towards a greener future.

There are currently very few facts known about the environmental impact of specific media products, so it is difficult to know just how print compares to digital media. This means there simply aren’t enough facts to substantiate claims about print’s impact on the environment.

Verdigris Objectives

Verdigris aims to raise the positive aspects of print’s environmental impact, through cooperative content development and sharing. By this means, Verdigris is creating a dialogue with different markets worldwide, sharing environmental issues at local level and providing market research and articles to help develop environmental awareness. The project will also provide a common reference site for trade associations and environmental organisations.

How Does Verdigris Work?

The Verdigris project produces regular articles covering environmental subjects relevant to the printing industry. These articles are shared with a worldwide network of trade publishers, the Verdigris Publishing Network. In each country around the world the leading participating trade magazines publish Verdigris content as feature articles. The articles consider such subjects as deinking, or the carbon footprint of various media products. They also look at case studies to share ideas about how printing companies can improve their carbon footprint, and provide print services that help print buyers and consumers ensure they meet their Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.

Supporting Verdigris

  Anyone can be involved in Verdigris. Verdigris supporters are invited to contribute content and ideas to the editorial development process. If you’ve something to share or say, get in touch!