The Rachel Carson Homestead Association is a nonprofit organization that promotes scientist and author Rachel Carson’s environmental ethic and is based in Carson’s home in Springdale, Pennsyvlania.

The RCHA was looking to increase its earth-friendly business operations through its marketing products including newsletters, brochures, and other printed materials.  I was introduced to Print.Net Inc. through the Pittsburgh Technology Council and was immediately impressed by the company’s Web site which included information on Print.Net’s vision of how the print industry can demonstrate “green industry” leadership through the use of non- and least-toxic inks and coatings as well as reduce waste and pollution through the use of 100% recycled paper.  When I met Jeff Shaw, Print.Net Inc.’s President, I found that this vision was certainly more than a marketing gimmick and more a personal conviction for Mr. Shaw.

Having worked with all kinds of printers for the last 25 years, I knew that conventional printing involved inks, solvents, acids, resins, lacquers, dyes, driers, extenders, modifiers, varnishes, shellacs, and other solutions. Only a few of these ingredients end up directly on the printed page. The balance are used to produce films, printing plates, gravure cylinders, or proofs, or to clean printing plates or presses. Many of the ingredients are toxic: silver, lead, chromium, cadmium, toluene, chloroform, methylene chloride, barium-based pigments, and acrylic copolymers. And that's not all. Chlorine bleaching of paper is linked to cancer-causing water pollutants. Waste inks and solvents are usually considered hazardous. Bindings, adhesives, foils, and plastic bags used in printing or packaging printed material can render paper unrecyclable.

Any concerns for green printing being prohibitely expensive were soon put to rest as Print.Net was able to compete very competitively with the conventional printers we had been using.  In addition, the company is run in a very professional manner and has certainly gone above and beyond to help us create excellent and effective finished product.

For the RCHA – and indeed for any company, whether for-profit or non-profit, environmentally minded or mainstream industry – utilizing the services of a print company that is commited to non-toxic materials and recycled paper should be a priority.   Whether creating simple brochures, event banners without PVC, or sophisticated, multi-faceted pieces using coatings and specialty papers, Print.Net delivers – with excellence.

Fiona Fisher, Rachel Carson Homestead Association

www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org