Green Events Source/blog

Consolidated Printing’s Marilyn Jones Recognized As Green Printing Pioneer

Green Events Source "Green-ferred" Provider Wins Prestigious Environmental Award

Printing Industries of America recently honored Marilyn Jones, President and Owner of Consolidated Printing Company in Chicago, Illinois, with the 2008 William D. Schaeffer Environmental Award. Established in 1990 and named for environmental pioneer and researcher Dr. William Schaeffer (1922–2003), the Schaeffer Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions towards environmentally sound practices in the printing industry. Dr. Schaeffer was widely known and respected for his ongoing environmental advocacy and leadership for the graphic communications industry.

Since the company’s beginning in 1973, Ms. Jones has taken steps to ensure that Consolidated Printing maintains its profitability while complying with local, state, and federal statutes and regulations; protecting employee health and well being; and operating as a good citizen of the community. The company mission is “to provide high quality printing services with a zero impact on the environment.”

Recognizing that printing is among the top ten most toxic industries in the U.S., Ms. Jones has focused her career on actively pursuing the elimination of toxic chemicals in the printing process. Consolidated Printing uses an all-natural process without toxic chemicals that are harmful to workers, the community, or air, land and water. In early years, common household products were substituted for harmful chemicals—cooking oil as a roller lubricant, vinegar as a neutralizer, and fabric softener as a wetting agent. Ms. Jones works with suppliers to eliminate harmful substances in chemicals and offers her shop as a willing beta test site for products that could potentially be safer for the environment. Today, Consolidated Printing uses an all-vegetable process, including inks, pigments and solutions, and the company is petroleum and carcinogen free.

In recognition of Consolidated Printing’s accomplishments and level of environmental sustainability, Ms. Jones has received awards from the Illinois EPA, three Illinois Governors, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, and the Chicago Department of the Environment. In addition, Consolidated Printing has been asked to open a second location to provide the printing services at the Business Service Center for the Green Exchange, a retail and office facility that will house some 100 businesses, all of them environmentally and socially responsible. The first of its kind in the U.S., the Green Exchange building is a four-story, 272,000 square-foot former factory being converted according to LEED Platinum standards and incorporating a wide array of green building features and benefits.

Throughout her 35 years as a printer, Ms. Jones has used her own resources and initiative to ensure that others learn of the many ways a firm can print responsibly, honoring the environment as well as the health and well-being of the persons who produce printed product. She was involved in the development of the Great Printers Project, the first team in the nation seeking to create a business environment conducive to pollution prevention for the entire printing industry. Consolidated Printing became the first printing company in Illinois to achieve Great Printer status in 1997. The company then produced a film with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), and Ms. Jones and other Consolidated Printing employees traveled the state with IEPA representatives to raise awareness of the Project among printers. Hoping to establish an “effective and easy to understand program for complying with OSHA regulations,” the Consolidated Printing staff also participated in a national OSHA project for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Working with several printing companies, Consolidated Printing formulated teaching materials to be utilized by printing companies across America in the National Pilot Project.

Ms. Jones works continuously to spread the word about sustainability and green in the printing industry. Outreach efforts include speaking engagements; educational and environmental committee involvement; exhibiting at a variety of facilities and events; participation on panels, blogs, You Tube and internet radio shows. Environmental sustainability in the printing industry has also been taught by Ms. Jones during weekly tours of Consolidated Printing for clients, printers, suppliers, associations, and radio and television crews, which have resulted in recent segments on Chicago’s WLS Channel 7, NBC Channel 5, and Good Morning America. She makes herself accessible to all who wish to learn of her pioneering practices.

For more about Consolidated Printing and a selection of green products, register to view The Green Events Source Book online or visit our new Green Event Supply Showcase at www.greeneventsource.com.

Second Edition of The Green Events Source Book Launched

Green Events Source has launched the Second Edition of The Green Events Source Book (GESB), a free multimedia guide to greener meetings with less stress. Since its inception in January 2008, the GESB has become one of the most widely distributed and respected guidebooks on the greening of meetings and events.

“The Source Book is evolving along with the green meetings and events movement,” said Deborah Popely, editor and publisher of the GESB. “In order to keep up with the rapidly changing environment, meeting planners and industry suppliers need timely information and resources. We are committed to providing the tools they need to improve their practices and get ready to meet the new industry guidelines expected to debut later this year.”

More than 10,000 copies of the free multimedia guide were distributed in 2008 at meeting industry gatherings as well as in response to online requests. More than 5,000 copies of the second edition are expected to be distributed during the first half of 2009 through leading professional associations, such as the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), Meeting Planners International-Chicago Area Council (MPI-CAC), Association of Collegiate Convention and Event Directors International (ACCED-I), and others.

The second edition features updated industry information, new suppliers and additional resources and tools for planning greener meetings and events. The online edition also provides a PDA option, which allows for easy viewing on cell-phones and personal communication devices. “We wanted to get the information to people where they are, and increasingly they are on the move. Now they can get to this information quickly whether they are at their desks or away from the office,” said Popely.

Other second edition highlights include:

Up-to-date information on existing hospitality industry and event-related standards, guidelines and certifications, including the new Green Event “Ecologo” standard.

How-to advice on common issues and sticking points, such as going paperless, greening large catering operations, managing waste diversion, purchasing green event supplies, exhibiting and shipping green, measuring environmental savings, carbon offsetting and more.

Useful tools for evaluating and selecting meetings sites, along with information about green city and state initiatives.

A selection of green meeting and event suppliers (and supplies) that are committed to providing credible green options at competitive prices.

A special reprint of the second edition is being planned for later in 2009, highlighting the new green meeting and events standards being developed by the Convention Industry Council in collaboration with the Green Meeting Industry Council, the US EPA and ASTM. Green Events Source is currently accepting requests from appropriate green destinations, venues, meeting sites, caterers and restaurants, products and services for inclusion in this high-interest edition. Contact Jennifer Hadfield at (847) 212-2062 or jen@greeneventsource.com for more information.

Meeting planners may view the GESB online or request that a print-CD packet be mailed to them by registering at www.greeneventsource.com. To get on the mailing list for the special reprint, email info@greeneventsource.com and include “special reprint” in the message.

Green Events Source is a full-service resource for green event training, planning, consulting, products and information. More information is available at www.greeneventsource.com.