Becoming A Good Steward

YEARS AGO, when prepping for a week-long campout on a ranch north of Flagstaff, Ariz., some buddies and I hauled out truckloads of old cowboy-camp debris that had accumulated over the past 100 years in an effort to clean up the area. That land was owned by the then-governor of Arizona's family. The governor's mother, Viola Babbitt, came out afterwards and declared us "good stewards of the land." Her avowal still resonates with me.

As I travel the country in my consulting business, most folks seem to believe in doing the right thing. The grand epiphany for this year is that action is required. Sustainability today has everything to do with being a good steward within your organization. 2010 looks to be a year of adoption, enactment and of taking responsibility—stewardship.

To that end, I asked four leading in-plant managers for their perspectives on two basic questions. Before reading their answers, think about what yours would be.

1. Over the past year (or more), what have been your parent organization's environmental initiatives, directives and/or mandates, and how has your department reacted, integrated or assisted in those efforts?

2. What have been your own departments' environmental and social initiatives over the past year and what goals do you have, officially published or not, for the coming year?

The in-plants I chose to ask these questions to reside within organizations that already have a strong corporate or governmental stewardship model in place. Their answers are enlightening.

Briggs & Stratton

Graphic Services is an integrated component of its parent corporation. The in-plant is led by Manager Deb Pavletich (also president of the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association). On a corporate level, Briggs & Stratton deploys programs that demonstrate its holistic approach to sustainability and corporate responsibility that transcends its role as the world's largest producer of small engines and outdoor power equipment. The company engages in a range of activities to help sustain the well-being of everyone whose lives it touches. Its three-pillar approach takes on complete ownership of business excellence, community support and environmental responsibility.

Among the proudest corporate accomplishments are a reduction of company-wide energy usage by 14.9 million kilowatt hours over the last two years and an annual reduction of the company's overall greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 5 percent. The company recently signed a pledge with the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its "Save Now Energy Leaders" program to reduce its energy consumption by 25 percent over the next 10 years. Briggs & Stratton also sponsors a company-wide sustainability/energy conservation fair designed to help employees become more environmentally responsible in their personal lives.

Within Graphic Services, some initiatives over the past year have been to install an efficient climate-control system, energy-efficient fluorescent lights and motion sensor-activated lighting for storage areas.

Recycling efforts range from paper and cardboard, including production, shipping and office waste, to steel and aluminum. In the pressroom, Briggs & Stratton has reduced VOC output to less than 115 lbs. per month.

Upgrades of environmentally friendly equipment include a chemistry-free Agfa Acento computer-to-plate (CTP) system and an Energy Star-compliant Ricoh Pro C900.

State of Washington

Washington State has implemented a range of environmental initiatives and goals. Among them are some very strong legislated mandates that reach far into every facet of government.

Senate Bill 5560 establishes a mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 57.5 percent over a 40-year period as a three-tiered phase-in process. House Bill 2287 sets mandates for the use of 100 percent recycled content office paper and a reduction in office paper use by 30 percent by July 2010. In addition, buildings with 25 or more employees are required to recycle all paper.

The Washington State Department of Printing, under the leadership of Jean-Luc Devis, was involved in this legislative process, and is expected to provide annual sustainability plans and reporting on targets.

Departmentally, Devis has implemented a plan that includes:

• The use of 100 percent recycled paper in the seven copy centers

• An overall increase in FSC-certified paper usage by 10 percent per year

• Implementation of a new MIS system, saving the department $20,000 per year

• A program to bring and keep work in-state using FSC paper produced by Grays Harbor (an economically depressed area), saving $360,000 a year

Other initiatives include recycling paper and other waste materials, and a print assessment program for clients. The department also has a program to educate customers about sustainable printing practices, both in their offices and on their print and copy jobs.

Leanin' Tree

Leanin' Tree, an in-house manufacturer of specialty greeting cards, has always had a commitment to doing what's right for the environment.

"Like most companies, we use precious resources to bring our products to the marketplace," says Bill Leonard, director of Prepress and Printing. "To minimize this impact we print all our cards and envelopes on recycled paper, which is also elemental chlorine-free, and comes from SFI-accredited mills."

Since 2006 the Printing Department has reduced its VOC output by 62 percent, generating below 3,900 lbs. per year. The shop continues to meet and exceed all environmental, health and safety regulations. It has also gone to processless plates in the past year, which eliminated all the chemicals in that department. Contributions are made to a tree-planting organization to compensate for carbon emissions from the manufacturing process.

Leanin' Tree's comprehensive recycling program includes paper and corrugated packaging material (9,720 tons over the past 18 years), aluminum plates and cans (22,391 lbs. in 2008), glass, plastic, light bulbs, metal banding, pallets, phone books, batteries, printer cartridges, ink cans, computers and used oil.

In 2008 a "Green Team" was formed with a representative from every department and tasked with investigating different ways to recycle, reuse and reduce. The team shares news about practices and programs currently in place and encourages each employee to become an active participant.

The message from all four of these progressive in-plants is that environmental and social stewardship not only makes sense, but causes change. What is your in-plant doing to make a difference?

University of Colorado at Boulder

Tom Tozier, director of Imaging Services, embraces his university's initiatives. Recently named the number one green campus in the nation, University of Colorado is on the leading edge in environmental initiatives and practices. The "Blueprint for a Green Campus – An Environmental Action Plan for the University of Colorado at Boulder" has become a driving force in bringing sustainability to the forefront of the campus's overall strategic plan. Among many initiatives within the blueprint are a 20 percent reduction in paper use by 2012 and a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2015.

Tozier is a member of the Chancellor's Sustainable Action Team charged with creating and presenting projects and initiatives.

"Having a seat at the table for these programs is the best thing that could have happened for our department," he remarks. "This gives us a voice and a role in deciding factors that affect us and the campus. The biggest win on this level is that after presenting a proposal, my sub-committee was awarded and given a green light to create a copier/printer fleet management program."

As a department, CU Imaging Services has moved to using more sustainable products. For example, it has implemented Océ copiers, which reportedly use less energy than competitors. The in-plant also began promoting itself as the campus's sustainable printer, promoting its use of environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, recycled paper, vegetable-based inks, chemistry-free plates, organic toner and more.

"What makes the difference is in letting our customers know that we are doing these things, why we do them, and more importantly, what impact it has on the overall goals of the campus," Tozier says. IPG

Vic Nathan Barkin has more than 30 years of experience in the printing industry, including managing Northern Arizona University's Printing Services department for 12 years. He currently owns a consultancy focusing on "green" printing practices, is an FSC lead auditor for SmartWood, and an SFI/PEFC auditor for Price–Waterhouse Coopers. Vic also serves as vice president for the Mountain States Printing Education Foundation, is a contributing writer for In-Plant Graphics, GATF World and other national publications, and has been a presenter at many regional and national conferences including ACUP, SUPDMC, NGPA and On Demand. Contact Vic at: vicbarkin@aol.com