This is Richard Romano, managing editor of What They Think’s Going Green.  If you’re like me and I know I am, you’ve grown tired of hearing how printing is an environmental unsustainable and unfriendly medium and that you should go paperless to protect the environment.  Well contrary to this perception was one of the reasons behind the creation of the What They Think Environmental Innovation awards now in their fourth year.  Sponsored by Unisource, these awards honor and reward printing companies that have implemented creative, forward thinking and quantifiable environmental sustainability initiatives.

Every year we bestow five awards on the most environmental cutting edge companies in the industry.  These awards are granted in the following categories; Environmental Sustainability in Your Plant recognizes a company that is making environmental responsible changes to their own facility, such as implementing lean, green manufacturing, adding unique lighting or ventilation and so forth.  Environmental Sustainability and Your Processes recognizes a company that has environmentally transformed their processes by incorporating inks, papers, consumables, waste management or recycling in new and different ways.  Environmental Sustainability and Your Community recognizes a company that take environmental initiatives outside their own doors and offers outreach programs that support both the environment and their community.  Beyond environmental Sustainability recognizes a leading or bleeding edge solution involving unique creativity, for example, creating a biodiesel still to create alternative power sources or installing wind or solar power.

There is also a fifth award, a special thought leader prize that recognizes a company that best represents the new green graphic arts company amongst all the applicants.  Each year the recipient of this thought leader award is a truly innovative, disruptively creative company.  I encourage all printing companies who have gone green whether you’re big or small, digital or traditional to enter.  There is no cost to apply and applications can be downloaded at the Environmental Innovations Awards page.  

What are the benefits of winning an Environmental Innovation award?  Some of the tangible rewards include recognition amongst your industry peers, a mini conference with sponsors on sustainability issues, an expense paid trip to Atlanta for the awards presentations hosted by What They Think and Unisource, a physical award for your in plant display, a video interview on WhatTheyThink.com, reprint rights to your video for your own marketing and web use, a press release on What They Think, a blog post on What They Think’s Going Green and a badge graphic for your own website or you blog.

If you’re going beyond certification and mere compliance and are implementing some truly creative solutions please apply for the fourth annual What They Think Environmental Innovation awards, after all you’ve done the hard work.  Don’t you think you should be rewarded and recognized for your efforts?  Thanks and keep on going green.