Green Books

Posted on May 8, 2014 Updated on May 8, 2014

A Devon based house, Green Books has been publishing books on sustainability, eco-building, eco-philosophy and green living for over 25 years. It claims to be “the UK’s largest independent environmental book publishing company, producing books on a wide range of ecological and cultural issues.”

Since its foundation, the publisher has been working side by side with The Schumacher Society, an organisation that promotes the legacy of the British economist E.F. Schumacher (author of the widely celebrated Small is Beautiful), through the discussion of sustainable and ecological solutions.

In 2009, John Elford, founder of Green Books, stated that their publications had been systematically printed within 150 miles from their offices in Devon, using vegetable inks, and also that the majority of books had been printed on 100% PCW paper. From a financial point of view, these green measures promote the local sustainability, which is additionally beneficial for a small publisher – of 8 employees only – like this one.

It is a fact that decisions such as printing an entire list on recycled paper might not be a profitable option, at least, for now, for big publishing houses. Recycled paper is more expensive than virgin paper, and it is worth reminding that its process is not purely ecological, since it soaks up energy and chemicals. Regarding large houses, The Publishers Weekly mentioned that Hachette is now using 10% of recycled fibre, contrariwise to Penguin that is only using recycled paper for printing, copying (100% recycled) and stationery (75%).

Despite its differences – either in prominence, size or income – small and large publishers face the same problems and need to take similar decisions in order to minimize their environmental impact and ensure sustainability. They might be about paper, inks, gas emissions, light consumption in offices, or even about reducing unnecessary costs in business travels.

Image credit: Green Books