Every business has their own unique approach to making decisions about sustainability.  When we’re faced with those decisions, we take into consideration our employees, our fiscal responsibilities and the environment.  It’s a pretty standard triple bottom line approach.  There are inevitably going to be decisions that favor one of these factors more than the other two but it’s our responsibility to find as much balance as possible.

For example, last year we decided against making a wholesale conversion to FSC/recycled stock.  We were tempted because it would have been great for the environment but after taking a closer look at the numbers, we had no choice but to pass.  The financial commitment required to implement this program meant cutting back on jobs.  The environment may have reaped the benefits but it would have been crippling to our workers and business as well as contributed to more economic unrest in our community.  It simply didn’t make sense.  At HONBLUE, our relationships come first and we’re sustainable whenever we can be.

Critics often say – “If you’re serious about being sustainable, then why don’t you shut your doors and stop printing?”  Because, we provide a valuable service for businesses within our community and paper printing still has its place in today’s world.  This concept can be difficult to grasp, particularly for tree-huggers like me, but it does make sense.

Can you imagine the world without books or magazines?  No more libraries – and just imagine the impact on the educational systems.  What about records and legal documents such as marriage, death and birth certificates?  Specific to the building industry – architects and contractors still read through and revise blueprints onsite.  It’s not something we can simply replace overnight.  That said, we understand that as printers we have a serious responsibility to improve our operations and respect the resources that are available to us all.

I know it’s corny and may sound strange coming from a printer but it’s the truth.  Not buying it?  Let me explain.

We’re not in denial.  We understand that less trees means less air for people to breathe.  Clear cutting trees without proper management is naïve and a business plan destined for a sudden drop and a short stop.  On the other hand, our business cannot survive without using them for paper.  Puts us in a bit of a bind – but if you look hard enough, there’s always a solution.

The great news: trees are a renewable resource.  With the right management, they can be replanted responsibly and when left to their own devices, regenerate themselves.  But how do we ensure we replace what’s cut down?  It’s not easy but we continue to put pressure on those industries to do the right thing.  And with partners like the USGBC and FSC, our voices have direction.

What about it?  We love it.  We don’t fear change.  We’re not against digital print technology.  In fact, we use it to improve our print process on a daily basis.  We support online proofing, editing and collaborating, which save us and our clients energy, time and some unnecessary print costs. When a project requires a printed proof, we print one and when one isn’t needed, we use PDFs.  At HONBLUE, we simply want to find the most responsible and efficient methods to help our clients get their job done.

But it all comes down to one thing.  We’re constantly trying to make improvements and be as responsible as possible – because we care.  In order to plan for the future we realize that we have to do our part.  We understand we’re not the last people that are going to inhabit the Earth, which is why we’re “treating the world as if we intended to stay.”