Printing Industries of America Says Print Will Outlast Toshiba's 'No-Print Day'

Printing Industries of America Says Print Will Outlast Toshiba’s ‘No-Print Day’

Submitted: The Two Sides Team June 14, 2012

Printing Industries of Americas President and CEO Michael Makin encouraged the U.S. printing industry to reject a call by Toshiba America Business Solutions for a National No-Print Day. Needless to say, we find such a proposal ridiculous and an insult to the more than 800,000 Americans who owe their direct livelihood to our industry, said Makin.

June 13, 2012

Printing Impressions

Pittsburgh

Printing Industries of Americas President and CEO Michael Makin encouraged the U.S. printing industry to reject a call by Toshiba America Business Solutions for a National No-Print Day (NNPD).

Needless to say, we find such a proposal ridiculous and an insult to the more than 800,000 Americans who owe their direct livelihood to our industry, said Makin.

Toshibas nationwide campaign purports to encourage, educate and challenge individuals and companies to commit to one day of no printing and to raise awareness of the impact printing has on our planet. Its event is scheduled for Oct. 23, 2012.

Toshiba claims that our industry has failed to make the link between printing waste and its negative impacts on our landfills, natural resources and the environment, continued Makin. Our industry has long led the way utilizing sustainable processes. The primary raw material for printing is paper, which comes from trees, which are a renewable resourceso renewable that today, our country has 20 percent more trees than it did on the first Earth Day, which was held more than 40 years ago.

Printing is the only medium with a one-time carbon footprintall other media require energy every time they are viewed. Electronic devices, which Toshiba produces, for example, require the mining and refining of dozens of minerals and metals, as well as the use of plastics, hydrocarbon solvents, and other non-renewable resources. Moreover 5080 percent of electronic waste collected for recycling is shipped overseas and is often unsafely dismantled. For Toshiba to call for such a ban on printing is hypocritical to say the least, added Makin

He concluded by reiterating that print will very much be alive on Oct. 23, and asked the company how it would feel if that day became National No-Toshiba Day?

Printing Industries of America has put together a tool that can be used to dispel the misconceptions about the printing industry. This campaignThe Value of Printcontains a flip-book that can be used to dispel the myths about the industry. The flip-book has four sections:

Misconceptions, which gives responses to the common misconceptions about print;
Effectiveness, which gives statistics on how print is an effective part of the marketing mix and how people still prefer print;
By the Numbers, which discusses the importance of the industry and its large economic footprint; and
Resources, which lists websites where more information on the subject can be found.