Sustainable Print Programs That Add Value

Sustainable practices are expected at every level of business and government today. What better way to convey that your organization is doing the right thing by the environment than through your paper-based communications and marketing materials. To do this, you need a supplier that leverages the latest in sustainable print media to add value to your publications and print collateral. Grand River’s GreenMedia™ program is designed with a unique blend of environmentally responsible print production materials and processes. It is the most sustainable print media available anywhere and we would like to show you how.

Who should use GreenMedia™?

Nearly every organization uses print in one way or another. Whether you are printing an annual report or if you are producing mass consumer advertising, you need to show that your print media has been produced in the most sustainable manner possible. As a buyer or producer of print, you’ll benefit from a full-service solution that:

• Helps to improve your sustainability profile
• Uses online media to streamline the production process
• Attracts the environmentally-minded consumer
• Targets the mailing and distribution of your project
• Controls your costs

GreenMedia™ starts with “Choosing the Right Paper”

The core of our GreenMedia™ program is our line up of paper selection and paper properties. Our relationship and volume leverage with paper manufacturers and suppliers also gives us access to special environmental papers that can be tailored specifically to your needs.

All our papers are manufactured with wood and pulp sources that are environmentally well-managed. At Grand River Printing & Imaging we have been leading the effort to guarantee the consumer that our claims of sustainability are backed by verifiable practices from the forest to the mailbox.

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international network that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. It accredits independent third party organizations to FSC standards to ensure well managed forestry.
• The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program is based on the premise that responsible environmental behavior and sound business decisions can co-exist through sustainable forestry on all lands managed.
• The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is a world wide non-profit, non-government organization devoted to the endorsement of sustainable forest management through third-party certification.
• Chain of Custody (CoC) is the path taken by the raw materials harvested from a certified forest all the way through processing, production, distribution and printing until it is a final product to be sold to an end customer.

GreenMedia™ paper options include these certified environmental papers

• PCW (Post Consumer Waste) content, available in 10% to 30% content.
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified Coated and Uncoated papers.
• SFI (Sustainable Forest Initiative) certified Coated and Uncoated papers.
• TMC (Thermal Mechanical Pulp) as lighter weight substitution for high volume printing.

Our GreenMedia™ paper product offering includes the following categories:

• Uncoated Freesheet
• Uncoated 100% recycled content from previously printed papers
• Coated Freesheet #1, #2 & #3 grades
• Coated Groundwood (TMP) #4 & #5 grades
• Custom recycled products

Additional environmental features of GreenMedia™

EcoSmart inks

Our inks are part of the EcoSmart certification program and have the following attributes:

• Contain no more than 28% VOCs
• Contain no more than 25% of petroleum distillates
• Meet CONEG regulation for packaging, with a combined heavy metal total of less than 100 ppm of mercury, lead, cadmium and hexavalent chromium

Online project management & softproofing

Our GreenMedia™ prepress process uses online technology for softproofing and eliminates the carbon footprint of hard copy proof delivery via courier or overnight service.

Targeted mailing & list hygiene

With our GreenMedia™ mail list consulting and management services, you can also target your mailing to those customers and prospects that are most likely to benefit from your business offerings. We will help you establish good list development and cleansing practices.

Plant operations & chemistry handling

To achieve GreenMedia™ benefits our manufacturing plant operates with the latest in pollution controls, energy management and recycling capabilities:

• Our Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) destroys 99% of the VOCs emitted by the heatset web offset printing process with the added benefit of using the VOCs as fuel to power the heatset ovens
• Our energy economizer reduces the electricity consumption needed to chill the water for the heatset web offset process by pulling in outside air when ambient temperatures permit
• We use a power factor correction system to enable our energy company to more efficiently deliver electricity to machinery with significant draw
• Although much of the toxic chemistry involved in prepress production and the pressroom have been eliminated from the process, all chemicals in our plant are managed according to government guidelines for hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal.

Paper recycling

Paper recycling practices are a central part of any print media environmental program. With GreenMedia™, you get the following:

• Grand River is a major paper waste recycler with an automated system that gathers all make-ready paper and finishing waste. We recycle approximately 7 million pounds of paper and 190,000 pounds of cardboard annually.
• We will help you establish effective recycling programs in your office
• We also help you promote recycling among your customers and readers 
• Recycled pulp can be bleached with the same chemicals used to bleach virgin pulp.
• Recycling one ton of newspaper saves about 4,000 kWh (14 GJ) of electricity.

Clean energy

GreenMedia™ includes the option for print manufacturing with electricity generated by wind-power. Through our partnership with DTE Energy, Grand River will upgrade clients to this renewable energy source so that you can include this attribute of your printing and publishing activity in your own promotional materials.

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