The Environment & Sustainability

Now, more than ever, the need to protect our planet and combat climate change or “global boiling” has become urgent. The story of “The Shrew With The Flu” does subtly champion the values and actions that many activists are calling for, but it is not just the messages within the book that make statements about our pledge to the planet: we must also consider the processes that go into making and distributing our resources.

Below, please find some information about the printing and distribution of “The Shrew With The Flu” resources. Nobody is perfect, but we are constantly looking at ways to address challenges and welcome external feedback.

The Physical Book:

  • Interior: Edixion FSC stock

  • Cover: Performa Brilliance FSC

The Printer:

  • Certified with the Forest Stewardship Council (their paper is universally sourced from sustainable forests).

  • Uses equipment designed to eliminate many of the damaging processes historically involved in printing.

  • Presses run with reduced alcohol and their XL106 press is specifically a low energy model, using approx 20% less than a conventional press.

  • Follows best practice in waste management and recycling.

  • Compliant with all relevant national and international standards, and train staff to increase their environmental awareness.

  • Recycle paper waste from production, office paper waste, and aluminium printing plates.

  • Recycles hazardous waste and registers any that cannot be in compliance with Hazardous Waste Regulations (2005).

  • Recently completed a major solar installation project covering 80% of their main roof area (with an anticipated annual yield is 166,000kw, an annual saving in carbon emissions is expected to be 81 tonnes).

  • Bookmarks (“The Shrew With The Flu”):

    • Printed with vegetable inks on locally sourced FSC accredited paper

    Seedboms (“The Shrew With The Flu”):

    • Peat-free, compostable and biodegradable

    Challenges

    Society of Authors recently launched a campaign called Tree To Me, outlining 10 questions that can be used to start a conversation about sustainability.

  • Here are our responses to those questions…

    1. Have you signed up to Publishing Declares, the Publishers Association’s pledge on climate action, or do you have an alternative reduction strategy?

    No, the printer is not yet signed up.

  • 2. Have you set emissions targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the global standard? Have you set a net zero goal?

    No, the printer is not yet set targets with SBTi.

  • 3. Do you disclose your carbon emissions annually to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and/or are you reporting in other ways?

    No, the printer does not yet disclose carbon emmissions to CDP.

  • 4. Do you use 100% renewable electricity across your operations?

    Yes, the printer uses 100% renewable electricity across operations.

  • 5. Do you plan to use 100% recycled paper, or otherwise sustainably source the paper used for packaging, books (where possible) and across your operations? Have you stopped using plastic packaging?

    The printer is emphatic that this is not possible for them, stating that “no printer in the world is likely to be able to say yes to this”.

  • 6. Have you taken specific action to protect biodiversity, limit deforestation and reduce water usage?

    Yes, all the printer’s paper is FSC certified.

  • 7. Do you use foils and finishes or lamination? What proportion of these can be recycled? Do you offer more sustainable formats such as trimmed sizes?

    Yes, lamination is used. The printer specifies that removing “[lamination] is not a good idea for many reasons because the purpose of lamination on books is to provide many benefits including durability, protection from finger oil and moisture, and the enhancement of colour, all of which are especially important with children’s books”.

  • 8. Does your organisation have a corporate governance system to hold it accountable for sustainability? Do you provide staff sustainability training?

    Yes, the printer provides staff with sustainability training.

  • 9. Do you disclose any of your organisation’s investments (including employees’ pensions) in the fossil fuel industry?

    No, the printer does not disclose investments in the fossil fuel industry.

  • 10. How can you help me communicate this prominently to my readers?

    So far, the printer has been open to including any extra specified information.

  • As far as industry-wide standards go, these responses are not the best, but still pretty good. We welcome any children’s book printers or publishers that are more sustainable in their approach to the processes outlined above, to send a message.