Sorting out the green paper madness

You've decided to do the right thing and go green with all your paper goods. Forms, applications, even holiday cards. So you start shopping for the greenest choices, but before long, your head is aching and your mind is swimming.

Recycled........

Post Consumer...........

Certified...........

Pre consumer.........

Renewable........

Natural.........

Organic........

Reduced Carbon Footprint....

STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does it all mean???????

Here are a few websites to help clear up the madness and direct you towards the right materials for all your business paper.

For greeting cards, business holiday cards and such

For computer paper and copy paper and other general office paper

For photographers or anyone who uses photo paper

For businesses that buy paper in large quantities

Plantable greeting cards, invitations and announcements?

How many invitations and greeting cards have you received in your life? Hundreds? Thousands? Where are they now?

What if all of those cards and announcements had been made from recycled materials? And 100% recyclable?

How about one step better...what if each and every card were embedded with wildflower seeds? Imagine...a card you do not throw away -- a card you plant!

That's what I found at a site called Forever Fiances. Handmade, beautiful, completely plantable greeting cards, wedding invitations and announcements.

The uses are endless:

For businesses, they would be a wonderful way to coordinate your green practices or products with a truly green thank you or holiday card

For personal use, birthdays, thank you's, and of course, as their name implies, weddings. What a lovely way to honor a special occasion!

Just something I stumbled on and wanted to share!

Making your business greeting cards earth friendly

Many businesses send greeting cards as a part of their marketing plan. And a growing number honor their employees with birthday cards, job anniversary cards and even job-well-done cards. Business greeting cards are a wonderful, and relatively inexpensive tool for keeping in touch with the people who keep your business working.

But all those cards can add up to a lot of paper. And a lot of potentially toxic inks and dyes. So is there a way to maintain the marketing power of an annual company Christmas card or the morale boosting power of wishing an employee happy birthday, and not create a mountain of wasted paper?

Look for cards that are made from recycled paper

This may seem like an obvious first step, but in reality many people shy away from the idea of recycled holiday cards because they remember the way recycled cards used to look. But the days of brown cards with poorly printed images on rough paper are long gone. Today's recycled papers are available in colors from white to pastels to deep jewel tones.

Be sure to check the percentage of recycled material used in the cards...and the envelopes.

Recycled paper can range from as low as 10% to 100% recycled content. Look for cards that utilize at least 20% post consumer waste. At this level, you'll be making a significant difference in the use of virgin paper.

Choose soy inks and avoid foil embellishments

The type of ink you choose and the embellishments use on the cards makes a big difference in whether the cards can be recycled after your clients or employees have finished with them. Soy inks and cards free from foil trim or printing can be added to recycling bins and make another trip around, reducing both paper use and landfill volumes.