TORONTO—Print is a responsible environmental choice and an important touchpoint of any marketing campaign. That was the key message the audience heard last Thursday during the annual Ryerson Colloquium organized by the students of the Graphic Communications Management program.



Panelists, from left, Phil Riebel of Two Sides North America, Monika Patel, from the Forest Stewardship Council, and Carol Ramsay from Spicers, answer questions about sustainable printing practices.

Dubbed Revive, Breaking Sustainability Myths, this year’s event featured a panel that set about outlining and then busting some often-heard myths about the sustainability of printing and using trees. For instance Monika Patel, director of programs and communications at the Forest Stewardship Council, told the industry crowd that trees are a renewable resource that can be planted again, once cut down. And, while recycled paper is good, the world would run out of paper if we only used recycled fibres.

Carol Ramsay, business development consultant at Spicers, stressed that paper is not only a responsible choice, but one that elevates brands and marketing campaigns, and when combined with digital communications it increases response rates.

Phil Riebel, president of Two Sides North America, outlined some research his organization has done. More than 70% of people, he said, actually prefer paper communication over digital, but many link it to deforestation practices. The same number, also indicated they have no problem with paper if its responsibly and environmentally produced.

Two Sides originally started in Europe and is dedicated to promoting the sustainability of print and paper, and debunking greenwashing claims. It operates in five continents.