LEXINGTON, KY -- WhatTheyThink, the leading news and information site for the graphic communications industry today announced the opening of applications for the WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Awards, given in partnership with Unisource and the Unisource Respect Printers Program.

More information and application forms are available at http://members.whattheythink.com/environmental-award/

The Environmental Innovation Award is offered to any graphic communications services provider located in North America, regardless of size and printing process. We believe that innovative ideas are not constrained by company size or process; the awards are intended to provoke, encourage, and celebrate creative thinking and innovative solutions.

To recognize companies that are making real and concrete contributions to innovation, implementation, and communication of environmental solutions, five awards will be presented to industry leaders who have developed environmental solutions within the design, production, and delivery value chain for printed graphic communications.

“Winners of the Environmental Innovation Awards will be announced on April 22, 2009, the 39th anniversary of Earth Day,” said Gail Nickel-Kailing, managing editor of WhatTheyThink Going Green. “An event that propelled environmental issues onto the public stage, Earth Day is an especially good time to recognize companies that are environmentally progressive and implementing projects, initiatives, and processes which go beyond certification and compliance to truly innovative solutions.”

Award Categories

Five awards will be presented; one in each of the following categories:

•   Environmental Sustainability and Your Community recognizes a company that is involved in an environmentally progressive community program; i.e., someone who is doing something specific for either their staff or the community at large. Suitable programs include initiatives for charitable organizations, internal programs such as alternative transportation for staff, and other “outreach” that supports both the environment and the community.

•   Environmental Sustainability and Your Plant recognizes a company that is “walking the talk” in their own plant; for example, lean/green manufacturing, unique lighting or ventilation, using production equipment (hardware and/or software) in unique ways.

•   Environmental Sustainability and Your Processes recognizes a company that is implementing environmentally sensitive processes incorporating inks, papers, consumables, waste management, or recycling in new and different ways.

•   Beyond Environmental Sustainability recognizes a leading-edge solution or initiative involving unique creativity; for example, a biodiesel “still” to create alternative power sources.

•   Thought Leader (Overall Best of Class) recognizes a company that best represents the “new green graphic arts company” among all applicants. The recipient will be a truly innovative, disruptively-creative company.

To Enter

Entries for the Environmental Innovation Awards are to be submitted electronically as a PDF no later than 5:00 PM (EST) March 20, 2009 to [email protected]. Organizations may submit applications in more than one category, however a separate application must be submitted for each category for consideration. Application forms are available at http://members.whattheythink.com/environmental-award/

About WhatTheyThink

WhatTheyThink is the printing and publishing industry's leading online media organization; offering a wide range of publications delivering unbiased, real-time market intelligence, industry news, economic and trend analysis, peer-to-peer communication, and special reports about emerging technology and critical events. For more information go to www.WhatTheyThink.com.