"FSC Friday 2015": using FSC recycled paper for the product catalogues printed in the last five years means 150,000 Kg of trees saved from cutting. An average of 15 trees is needed to produce a ton of paper from pure cellulose.
Brescello 25th September 2015 - Many of the communications that are part of the life of every company are sent by computer and the increased use of digital means has definitely contributed to reduce the number of trees cut to produce paper. But we can do more. Back in 2010 Immergas decided to print all product catalogues on FSC paper, encouraged office workers to always print paper on both sides and discouraged "automatic" printing of all digital documents.
On the occasion of the international day of responsible forestry, FSC Friday (25th September 2015), Immergas has taken stock of its "forest saving" actions for the first time.
«We care for the future of the forests on our planet - stated Alfredo Amadei, Vice President of Immergas - and for the environmental impact of paper production. For this reason we have committed to purchasing, using and recycling paper in a responsible way, in order to protect forests and the biodiversity they are home to».
The first action remains using recycled paper, or in the case of graphic applications, paper with the FSC logo (coming from certified forests).
«In our green approach to doing business, paper is an important factor - says Ettore Bergamaschi, Operational Marketing & Communication Director - because in five years we have printed 1,300,000 catalogues. A substantial quantity of RePrint Matt paper which, according to the criteria validated by the WWF and other environmental associations, is equivalent to a saving of almost 150,000 Kg of wood, almost 200,000 KWh of energy, compared to the use of non-recycled paper. Overall, from the time we decided to opt for the use of paper that respects forests, we have prevented the emission in the atmosphere of over 9,500 Kg of CO2. A green signal which, combined with the sustainability-oriented policies applied by Immergas, such as the photovoltaic roofs on the factory, the condensation air conditioning system and separate waste collection, creates a roadmap leading to increased care for the environment, for health and for safety. This plan also aims to extend the use of FSC paper to other activities».
The use of products that respect the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) system continues to be one of the most effective avenues for creating a more eco-sustainable office and factory. Reducing the use of paper and, consequently, the amount of energy required to print more sheets is a good way of contributing to the health of our planet, without affecting print quality: in a recent survey conducted by GreenPeace 91.5% of respondents reported no problems with legibility of recycled paper compared to paper produced with virgin fibres. FSC is a paper quality brand created in 1993. This international certification system guarantees that the raw material used to make wood or paper products comes from forests that comply with stringent environmental, social and economic standards.
«We try to view all our activities in terms of "life cycle", from production to disposal - concludes Ettore Bergamaschi - so we encourage separate waste collection in the company. We have seen a progressive increase in the quantity of paper collected separately and we are studying new solutions to further improve our Carbon Footprint. The calculation of the product carbon footprint (PCF) includes the quantification of all the emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) along the entire life cycle of a product, from extraction of raw materials to final disposal of the product. The full life cycle of a product is also referred to as cradle to grave».
