Leading paper agent Papico is encouraging the printing industry and paper manufacturers to adopt positive statements on the footer of emails as a way of endorsing the sustainability of paper.

The Yorkshire-based company has opted to use a positive statement as a backlash against negative messages often sent out by the industry. Papico worked with facts provided by industry organisations Two Sides and PaperImpact to come up with the statement.

Papico director, Paul Johnston-Knight commented on the move: "Prompted by a customer who did something similar we wondered if it was acceptable for printers and paper makers to send emails with the ubiquitous "think of the planet, please don't print this e-mail" appended to the message.  So we decided to shed some green light on the truth about paper's environmental credentials."

Paul added: "We feel that the industry itself needs to promote a more positive message in email correspondence. It is a very negative situation to be in when even print companies and their subsidiaries use anti-paper messages."

The message, featured below is worded to promote all the environmental benefits associated with the sustainability of paper including tree planting and harvesting.

Please don't be alarmed or feel guilty: it's OK to print this e-mail. Paper is a biodegradable, compostable, renewable, sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of men and women. Working forests are good for the environment, providing clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage.

Papico is also including a link underneath the footer which relates back to a section on its website that gives interesting facts and figures about the sustainability of paper. http://papico.co.uk/news/Paper-is-GREEN-69876

Paul Johnston-Knight concluded: "We need to accept that, although email is a welcome and very much acceptable way of communicating, we need to back this up with positive messages about paper and not discourage people from printing out email correspondence if they want to."