I hope you enjoy this short article I wrote for the “The Green Room” which can be found in the winter issue of Stationery Trends Magazine. Everyone wants to reduce their carbon footprint and I was excited to be able to write about this complicated and many times misunderstood topic. Read entire article below.

The Green Room
What is your Carbon Footprint? -  Why does it Matter?
Learning abut your environmental impact allows you to go more green

By Sue Rostvold

There have been numerous books and articles written about carbon footprints, but what exactly does it mean? One straightforward approach can be found at www.carbonfootprint.com. There you can calculate and reduce your personal and business carbon footprint.

After calculating your carbon footprint, you’ll be more aware of the consequences of your choices. When customers ask you about green products or your environmental commitment, you’ll say you are educating yourself and have even calculated your footprint! Understanding how your current decisions and practices affect the world will strengthen your business, improve public relations and ultimately boost the economy.

A carbon footprint is a measure of the exclusive global amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases emitted by a human activity or accumulated over the full life cycle of a product or service. More simply put, the carbon footprint is a metaphorical description for the impact our actions and choices have on the environment. It measures the resources you consume, both directly (by the kind of car you drive and by how hot or cold you keep your house or business) and indirectly (by how much energy it takes to produce the products that you purchase).

When carbon-based energy (e.g. oil, coal, natural gas) is used, gasses are emitted, which adversely affect the planet’s atmospheric balance and can greatly affect climate. So we measure our impact, or the resources we use, by measuring the amount of greenhouse gases produced in units of carbon dioxide, thus calculating our carbon footprint.

So, a carbon footprint is calculated in two parts:

1) The Primary Footprint is a measure of our directly consumed non-renewable energy, creating CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. This includes home and workplace energy consumption, as well as transportation (e.g., car and plane).

2) The Secondary Footprint is a measure of the indirectly consumed CO2 emissions from the whole life cycle of products we purchase, rent and use — the carbon emissions created with the manufacture and eventual breakdown of these items. To put it simply, the more we buy, the more emissions we’re responsible for creating.

According the EPA, the process of recycling paper uses 60 percent less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin timber, while recycling aluminum uses 96 percent less energy than mining aluminum ore. So simply put, if you make a some lifestyle changes — reduce, reuse, recycle; support local businesses; purchase sustainable green and fair trade products; convert to compact fluorescents or LED lights; drive minimally and slower; and make energy saving decisions every day, like turning down the heat or air conditioning or using cloth tote bags — your business’ carbon footprint is probably already lower than average. Congratulations!

We each have the power to make really important changes in this world with our simple day-to-day actions. As we become smarter and more creative with our energy consumption, our planet will be healthier and our nation will be less dependent on foreign sources of carbon-based energy.

Sue Rostvold drives a compact car in Austin, Texas. She and her husband compost, recycle and garden to lower their carbon footprint. In addition to a 20-year career in the pre-press and printing industry, Sue is the passionate founder of Verysupercool “green” greeting cards. Her dog-themed, inspirational cards are printed on 100 percent PCW recycled paper. You can e-mail this article and find even more links about carbon footprints at www.verysupercool.com.

Here is my second article for “The Green Room”, which can be seen in the fall issue of Stationery Trends Magazine. I enjoy writing about the environment, an important issue. Even though Stationery Trends is a trade and not an environmental magazine, they are incorporating sustainable content into each issue, and that’s Verysupercool in my book!

I haven’t seen the movie “Curious George”, but while researching for this article I fell in love with Jack Johnson’s music! I can see why he is such a favorite with young kids, with his great song,”The 3 R’s” .

Read entire article below:

The Green Room
The Three R’s – Recycled products are a smart choice,
Just ask Plato – or Curious George

By Sue Rostvold

Although most of us didn’t grow up recycling, it’s really nothing new. History indicates that recycling dates back to at least 400 B.C., and no less a personage than Plato was doing it. These days our children are often leading the way, singing along with Curious George (aka Jack Johnson, who did the score for the 2006 film): “Gotta reduce, reuse, recycle!”

Wholesalers and retailers across the U.S. are responding to consumer demand for more sustainable goods. Offering recycled products is an easy, eco-friendly way to assure that customers leave your venue feeling positive about their purchases and your store.

Most businesspeople are convinced that responsible sourcing is the way to go, but what does that mean to a stationery/gift retailer that’s new to the movement? If you sing along with Curious George, you’ll respond to both your customers’ desires and the earth’s needs by remembering the three R’s:

• REDUCE. Reducing consumption is the first step. One easy way to do this is to stock products with minimal packaging. This is much easier to do now, since Wal-Mart forced the packaging industry to simplify their product wrappings. When you buy pre-packaged products, look for ones that are simply packaged, and tell your buyers and distributors to look out for new finds. Buying and selling in bulk is another way to minimize packaging. You can even creatively re-package bulk items with scrap paper, ribbon and twine.
• REUSE. Reused, re-purposed and re-adapted are some of the words today’s hip artisans use to describe what was known in the 1990s as “found object art.” Materials such as beach glass, steel, wire, newspaper, aluminum and barn wood are recycled into rustic, eclectic or modern stylized creations. Often these items are made in developing areas of the world and carry the additional benefit of being fairly traded.
• RECYCLE. As the saying goes, “If you’re not buying recycled, you’re not really recycling.” When you buy something made with recycled materials, you ensure that discarded materials are reused instead of ending up in a landfill. Even though almost all paper is recyclable, statistics reveal that approximately 35 percent our landfills are comprised of paper and paperboard! That’s because Americans threw away about 85 million tons of paper products in 2006, nearly a three-fold increase from 1960.* So it’s more important than ever to buy recycled paper products, and remind customers why this matters.

Stocking just one recycled item is better than none. Your customers want items derived from responsible, creative practices. When retailers support companies that are committed to the environment, they also strengthen their own business ethics and reputation. In the end, whether you are a retailer or end consumer, purchasing quality items from companies that are environmentally conscious just feels like the right thing to do. This makes our collective buying power is more important and meaningful than ever before in history.

*2006 statistics from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Sue Rostvold lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband Allan, and her swimming dachshund Martin. Her company, Verysupercool, features dog-themed, inspirational greeting cards printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper — making them a completely recycled product! For more information, or to watch a music video of the Jack Johnson recycling song mentioned in this article, visit www.verysupercool.com.

I’m so excited to announce that my very first column came out in the summer issue of Stationery Trends Magazine. I was honored when the editor, Sarah Schwartz, approached me to write an ongoing green column: The Green Room. (Of course I managed to work my dog Martin into my head shot photo. Sarah, an animal lover herself, was nice enough to oblige.) Stationery Trends is an attractive new trade magazine that prides itself as a great resource for greeting cards, gifts, and all things stationery!

I wanted my first article to talk about how easy it is to start thinking green. It’s too overwhelming to think about transforming your entire retail space into a green store over night, but you can each take small steps in the right direction starting today!

Read entire article below

The Green Room
Be an Eco-Conscious Store Owner – Starting Now!

By Sue Rostvold

In a post-“Inconvenient Truth” world, everyone wants to be more eco-conscious. Retailers across the country are searching high and low for more sustainable products to green up their inventory in order to provide their customers with earth-friendly choices. Most positive changes don’t happen overnight; more often they happen incrementally over time. Although your store may not be totally green by tomorrow, you can be eco-conscious starting today!

Being a eco-conscious buyer and business owner is easy. It has nothing to do with whether or not your wear a tie-dye shirt, drink kombucha tea or meditate. It will cost you nothing but a little time and some extra thought. It’s just a matter of knowing your vendors’ products and policies, as well as taking note of your own store practices.

How many customers walk in with a can of soda or plastic bottle of water? Do you have a recycling bin for cans and bottles in your store? That is a simple thing you can do that let’s your customers know you care about the environment.

Start with a simple checklist

So, what do you need to ask your vendors? They are probably some of the same questions your customers are already asking you. How often do you hear, “My friend is really into the environment, do you have gifts that were made from recycled materials?” or “I’m looking for something local” from your customers? People feel good supporting their local economy, and vacationers love to pick up local gifts for their friends and family, and it’s an added bonus if the item is eco-friendly too!

It’s up to each store owner to develop their own set of criteria for how they screen and make their final purchasing decisions. Decide what’s important to you, then educate yourself and your customers will benefit in the process. People love to be the first to tell their friends about a new green find or local item no one else knows about.

Below is a checklist that can be used as a starting point to rate your vendors. It is really just an expanded version of the basics we all know, the three R’s: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

1). Vendor is local, made in the U.S. or fair trade.
2). Vendor products are made with non-toxic or less toxic materials.
3). Vendor products are made from recycled materials.
4). Vendor products are recyclable or reusable.
5). Vendor products are produced using renewable energy or carbon offset.
6). Vendor products are minimally packaged and/or packaging is recyclable or compostable.
7). Vendor has a waste reduction/recycling policy.
8). Vendor supports non-profit efforts by donating time, money or products to charitable organizations.
9). Vendor pays a living wage, runs a union shop, provides health care, child care benefits, etc.
10). Vendor is certified by Co-op America, Fair Trade Federation, or another viable monitoring group.

The good news is there are already hundreds of vendors available that can answer yes to most of the questions listed above. You’ll find many of these companies are members of Coop America or the Fair Trade Federation.

Denise Hamler, Director of Co-op America’s Green Business Network says, “Today we are seeing amazing growth – three companies a day are joining and by the end of the year nearly 5,000 green businesses will be touting the Co-op America Seal of Approval, an important mark in this growing sea of green. By using this seal customers know that these businesses have passed the Co-op America screening and approval process and are a true green company, truly authentic!

Even more good news is that studies have shown that green product consumption is on the rise. Last year at the Sustainable Green Brands conference in New Orleans, findings from one survey reported that consumers expect to double their spending on green products and services in 2008, totaling an estimated $500 billion annually or $43 billion per month,

The research also found that 90% of Americans agree that there are important green issues and problems, and 82% believe it is important for companies to implement environmentally friendly practices.

The survey was conducted by Landor Associates; Penn, Schoen & Berland (PSB) Associates; and Cohn & Wolfe.

Green, Greener, Greenest

It’s important to remember that there are degrees of green and sustainability. Just because a product is made outside the U.S. doesn’t make it bad, but it’s important to be aware of how it was made and by whom.

Do you really know what was involved in the production? What were the working conditions for the employees? Were they paid a fair wage? What is happening in the environment in the surrounding area as a result of making this product?

The green movement is raising the eco-consciousness of the whole world and not a moment too soon. People are finally realizing that the true cost of goods purchased and sold is much more than the dollars and cents they pay at the cash register.

Sue Rostvold lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband Allan, and her swimming dachshund Martin, along with any number of foster dachshunds from Central Texas Dachshund Rescue. In addition to a 20-year career in the pre-press and printing industry, Sue is the passionate founder of Verysupercool, which incidentally was the only company exhibiting at the 2006 National Stationery Show featuring greeting cards printed on 100 percent post-consumer waste paper!

Being Green Is Verysupercool!

as see in Stationery Trends Magazine
Spring 2008

Verysupercool cards are prominently featured in the premiere issue of Stationery Trends Magazine, a hip, new trade publication that focuses on greeting cards, gifts, and all things stationery!

Stationery Trends Magazine will be making it’s big debut at the National Stationery Show next week and we’re so excited to be a part of it! Shades of Green, written by editor Sarah Schwartz, focuses on a topic that retailers across the country are yearning to learn more about; green stationery and gifts.

Read entire article below

Shades of Green
Eco-consciousness makes a big splash in stationery.
What role will it play in your store?

By Sarah Schwartz/Editor

These days, it’s impossible to be unaware of what’s become known as the green movement. From cleaning products to cars, consumers are reexamining both what they use and leave behind. It’s easy to wonder, is this another feel-good, election-year trend — or an enduring lifestyle?

“There is no question in my mind that ‘green’ is more than a new buzz word or passing trend,” said Sue Rostvold, founder and owner of Verysupercool. “While it’s on the tipping point of the mainstream right now, I feel people are slowly becoming aware of the wider implications of their actions. As long as we’re still dependent on non-renewable energy sources, there’s no reason a green lifestyle should not be enduring.”

Indeed, the stationery industry embraced the elements of the green movement “long before it was on the tip of everyone’s tongue,” opined Patti Stracher, the National Stationery Show’s (NSS) Show Manager. Most players assumed “it was a given when green became a part of the consciousness, everyone in the industry would be compliant.”

However, manufacturers and retailers didn’t promote their green lines as much as they could or should. “I think the industry is waking up,” she concluded. “Even better, these days green products are refined, indistinguishable from anything else.”

As such, George Little Management has expanded its Best New Product Awards competition at 2008’s NSS, adding an eco-friendly Think Green counterpart to each category. The awards will recognize companies that exemplifying ingenuity with earth-friendly products.

However, the green movement is not all about products — it begins with the business model, pointed out Todd LeVeck, business and environmental director, Eco-Expressions. “We seek to enhance communication between people while creating positive change in the way business is done with respect to the environment. Creating a sustainable business model and [products] that are ecologically intelligent was paramount in our decision to bring them to market.”

But small, socially conscious stationery companies aren’t the only ones getting involved. In February MeadWestvaco Corporation was named to CRO (Corporate Responsibility Officer) Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2008. MeadWestvaco was recognized for its practices that exemplify a higher level of corporate integrity, accountability and stewardship.

And other lines have literally been green for centuries. Crane & Co. has used cotton paper, making the entire line tree-free, for over 2000 years. Once recycled from rags, now from textile clippings, their paper proves that everything old is new again.

Green v. green-washed
So there’s no shortage of great green paper lines — and vendors have begun highlighting these aspects on product, Web sites and signage with finesse. However, there remains some terminology confusion among many.

This occurs for a few reasons. “Often a company puts the word ‘recycled’ on their product without including percentages because it’s not required by law,” explained Rostvold. These companies are sometimes dubbed “green-washed.

Complicating the situation, LeVeck added, “The EPA uses standards in green labeling that fluctuate with the Washington political winds.” So don’t get hung up on terminology— just remember the common thread is attention to the health and well-being of the end consumer and the resources used in production.

When it comes to the recycled content of the paper itself, 100 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) paper is top-shelf. “We received a custom order using 100 percent recycled paper, and researched it further,” noted Mark Gavin, owner and founder of Ecojot, “We decided products that were 100 percent recycled and made in Canada would be attractive to people. With all the miscommunication today, we wanted to emphasize that our products have 100 percent PCW. With clients from Barnes & Noble to Whole Foods, the response has obviously been quite positive!”

For a given paper to be called recycled, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer content for uncoated papers, and a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer content for coated papers. Other paper types, such as newsprint and corrugated packaging, also require post-consumer content. VerdePaperie, an online venue that literally means green paper store, has a minimum PCW content of 30 percent.

Also look out for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications. Recently, some U.S. commercial forests have undergone a sustainable harvest certification process overseen by the FSC, a non-profit organization set up to encourage the use of sustainable forestrly practices. Their “Chain of Custody” is followed from the forest to the final product. The FSC certification also pertains to papers with a certain percentage of recycled and post-consumer waste content.

Soy or vegetable-based inks are less harmful to the environment than their petroleum-based counterparts. There are several types of vegetable-based printing inks, including linseed, tung, castor, canola, and safflower. Soy is popular because it is a very stable material with excellent “wetting” properties, enhancing its ability to carry solid pigments.

Amy Holland, co-owner of Eco-Wise, Austin, Texas, looks for lines that succeed on multiple levels. “Historically, finding 100 percent PCW greeting cards has been far from easy. To my surprise, most reps do not seem to know what PCW refers to or about recycled verses recyclable. Verysupercool cards was the first to be promoted as using 100 percent PCW paper while printing a color photograph using soy-based inks! The message from Verysupercool promotes mutual respect for animals, people and the planet in a creative and unique way.”

Some of the most interesting green stationery is not paper at all. Night Owl Paper Goods’ line of sustainably harvested wooden journals, desktop notepads, postcards and A2 cards has been selling around the globe — as far away as Australia. “Everyone has been really receptive to our illustration style paired with the wood,” said Partner Jennifer Tatham.

Packaging, or rather a lack of it, is also paramount. “We like suppliers who reduce their packaging where possible,” opined Scott Walker, co-owner/manager of Greenward, Boston. “This means we prefer no plastic bags on greeting cards. We would like to see more cards packaged just with a paper band, biodegradable cellophane sleeves or other environmentally responsible packaging.“

Loop, of Philadelphia, Penn., packages its product with a slender paper band featuring its tagline, “Happy People, Healthy Planet.” “We design our packaging to be as minimal as possible,” pointed Elissa Brown Barbieri, owner and designer. “We don’t believe one must sacrifice aesthetics for ethics.”

The Eco-luxe Lifestyle
This doesn’t mean that you have to only carry green lines and overhaul your business practices. Rather, consider an eco-luxe line or two as a necessary element in your merchandise repertoire — and realize that it may cost a bit more.

“A few wholesale clients don’t agree that consumers are willing to pay more for an eco product, but the sales of Loop products prove that consumers are eco-savvy and are indeed willing to pay a little extra,” Barbieri commented. “I am constantly re-iterating what makes Loop eco-luxe, versus a card that’s been green-washed by tacking a recycled logo on the back; being eco is more than being recycled or recyclable.”

In a typical boutique not earmarked as green, finding a visually pleasing green line can really please customers, explained Sherry Brown, card buyer, Breed & Co., Austin, Texas, who carries Verysupercool. “Customers love knowing they’re helping the earth and getting a cool card.”

Whatever line you select, talk it up. “Art N Soul, in Encinitas, Calif., has taken an educational approach to selling our products,” said LeVeck. “Each customer is told about the importance of our ecologically intelligent design and social give-back programs.”

Often the best way to educate customers is in narrative form. Such is definitely the case with Copper Willow Paper Studio, started by Jill Velez and Leora Mauck. “Our first movements in the eco-friendly direction were inspired by our families. Our letterpress was in Leora’s home, when her son was 18 months old,” noted Jill, who was also pregnant and operated the press well into her ninth month. “So our first priorities were using soy ink, oiling the machine with food-grade oil and cleaning up with a bio-solvent. Our first line was printed entirely on tree-free papers and premiered at NSS last May.”

Their range includes both a stationery and bridal stationery album. Now they’ve left Leora’s home, and their studio and production space are green too. With bamboo flooring, recycled wallpaper, no-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paint and refinished antique furniture, their application to be a fully green-seal certified studio is currently up for review.

Walker also finds that small signs are well received. Dan Korman, who owns Park + Vine in Cincinnati, Ohio, agreed. “Little signs next to something makes an impression, we notice that people tend to spend more time in that spot.”

Finally, one under-recognized aspect of earth friendliness involves being friendly to each other, emphasized Shannon Martin, Girl Designer in partnership with Madison Park Greetings. “This has to do with community, who we are in the world, how we treat each other on a daily basis. Yes, recycling is important. But what of our own natural resources? Our humor, our compassion, our curiosity? What could be more earth-friendly than good working relationships, or a business where our success serves our local and business community?”