The production of a single book entails an environmental cost that is difficult to avoid, from the extraction of cellulose from trees to the layout and distribution of the copies. Through the search for sustainable production models, many printers are committed to eco-publishing as a conscious formula for minimizing the ecological footprint and improving decision-making in environmental matters.
“Eco-publishing is publishing books with sustainability criteria, based not only on the choice of materials, layout or design, but also on the use of resources in a more efficient way, trying to maintain control over the environmental impact and the footprint generated,” said the spokesperson for the Forests, Business and Human Rights campaigns of Greenpeace, Miguel Ángel Soto, on the occasion of the commemoration of International Book Day.
Specifically, there is no such thing as a completely ecological editorial product, since any publication has a negative environmental impact. What can be done is to minimize the damage and calculate the risks, as stated in the Ecopublishing Guide published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
However, although harmful costs for the planet cannot be reduced to a minimum, “eco-publishing can help generate a positive social and cultural impact,” the editor of Pollen Edicions, a partner company of the Institut de LÉcoedició, Jordi Panyella, tells EFEverde. Carbonel.
Among the actions that seek to minimize the negative effects of this activity are local production, the use of recycled or certified paper, which would mean a 15% reduction in environmental costs; and the calculation of the carbon footprint in order to observe in which sectors the greatest damage is occurring and take measures in this regard.
How to make an ecological book?
One of the fundamental points in this process is the calculation of the environmental footprint generated by the production of a single publication, as well as its subsequent communication in a transparent manner to the reading public through an ecological backpack. “Through an information label on the last page of the book, information is provided on the CO2 emitted by each copy, the liters of water, the energy consumed and other details such as waste production,” explains Panyella.
In addition, there are several criteria to take into account before starting this process, such as the choice of support, the number of runs and the selection of paper, since the latter must meet the requirements of the certifying brands and incorporate a percentage of Recycled material.
Other factors proposed by this guide for eco-publishing are the use of inks that do not contain heavy metals, plates without chemicals, and correct environmental management by the paper industry to monitor the water and energy footprint.
The environmental cost of a publication
From the beginning of the extraction of raw materials to the distribution phase, a large amount of water, energy and material resources are consumed which, in addition to promoting deforestation, release polluting emissions into the atmosphere.
“The paper industry has a great environmental impact,” explains Soto of Greenpeace, “the expansion of paper crops to make pulp is a problem that still continues to generate deforestation.”
Specifically, the environmental impact of a publication extends to its entire production process: 49.4% to obtaining raw materials, 17.6% to the manufacture of plates, 16.4% to distribution, 9 .6% to design and the rest to printing, packaging and waste management, according to data from the Greening Books project.
Regarding the use of electronic books as an alternative, their ecological footprint is much higher than paper production. “To offset the environmental impact of an electronic reading device you have to read 33 360-page books every year, for 15 years,” explains Panyella, with data supported by the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology.
The paper industry
FSC and PEFC are two of the certification seals in forest sustainability issues. Specifically, the former already has a total of 735,800 hectares certified and the latter 2,700,000 hectares.
“The objective is not only to guarantee sustainable management of our forests to maintain their diversity, renew the water cycle or minimize the possibility of fires, but also to take care of the well-being of the people who work in it or enjoy it,” according to the person in charge. of CSR and New Markets of PEFC, Esperanza Carrillo. In the Spanish economy, paper manufacturing generates 16,968 direct jobs and nearly 84,000 indirect jobs.
The joint turnover of the sector reached close to 7,000 million euros in 2022, producing 6.3 million tons of paper and 1.7 million tons of cellulose per year, according to estimates by the Spanish Association of Pulp, Paper and Pulp Manufacturers. Cardboard (Aspapel).
In the European Union, the Spanish industry is the sixth largest producer of paper and cardboard and the fifth largest producer of pulp, thanks to the 74 factories that are spread throughout the national territory. EFEverde.
