Here you will find blogs from Digital Dots and Verdigris covering technology and sustainability advances in the graphics industry over the last 25 years.
The PrintCity Alliance has signed the Copenhagen Communiqué on Climate Change, calling for an ambitious, robust and equitable global deal on climate change that responds credibly to the scale and urgency of the crises facing the world today. The Copenhagen Communiqué (www.copenhagencommunique.com) has been signed by over 800 global companies & organisations, including power conglomerates, … Read more
Paper is arguably one of the most useful commodities every invented, one that most of us make use of every day, and yet few people know exactly how paper is manufactured. Since its invention paper has played an essential role in spreading literacy and knowledge, and despite our modern communications technology it is still irreplaceable. … Read more
We’ve seen processless plates, and plates with low chemistry requirements, but what about a CtP plate with no coating or chemistry whatsoever? Computer to plate production has improved printing’s carbon footprint no end because it does away with film and the associated chemistry. But the recently announced Miracle technology, developed in the UK by JPI, … Read more
De-inking used paper is a major step towards making recycled paper, but can established de-inking processes keep up with advances in printing technology? There is a generally accepted principle that it is better to recycle as much paper as we can, rather than cutting down trees to make paper from virgin fibres. Recycled paper can … Read more
Environmental considerations have never played such an important role in CtP. Computer-to-plate has moved a long way in terms of affordability, performance and reliability since the early days. Plate technology has advanced to the point where printers can choose between traditional CtP systems that use chemical development and new chemistry-free technologies. This article looks at … Read more
The Greenhouse Gas (or GHG) Protocol is the grandfather of almost all the various greenhouse gas or carbon reporting standards, labels, carbon calculators and other measuring guidance you are likely to come across. So even if you are not familiar with it, it’s very likely that your business is affected by it. Its story started … Read more
Carbon strategies can come in many shapes and sizes, reflecting different approaches to the challenge of better protecting the environment. For instance, a Ricoh factory located at the heart of the industrial revolution in the UK is a leader in the charge to develop green practices. The Ironbridge Gorge near Telford, in England, is known … Read more
With money getting tighter, now is a good time to look at ways to cut costs. Fortunately for the planet, going green is a great way to do this, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. One of the largest printers in the UK is St. Ives, with a group turnover of €200 million and … Read more
Eco-warriors just love the printing industry: all those dead trees, all those stinking solvents. And because of the high volumes and the fleeting value of their content, newspapers are an especially popular target. After all, newspapers are printed on polluting paper, on massive high-speed, energy-hungry presses. Their distribution relies on extensive heavy duty road and … Read more
There are a number of myths about recycling that are frequently mistaken for facts, particularly when it comes to paper. The two most common are that using recycled paper saves trees, and that recycling paper is harmful to the environment because of the bleach used to get the ink off, neither of which are true. … Read more