Guest Blog: Indie is the new Green by Jessica Gonacha – Green Printing

by guest contributor Jessica Gonacha

As a small business owner, as I’m sure many of you can relate to, I am in charge of all aspects of my business, and that includes designing and printing marketing materials (business cards, postcards, brochures, etc.)

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I am a firm believer that there is always a way to be a little more friendly toward our fragile earth, and in the case of printed materials, there are ever-increasing options for eco-friendly printing. That is what I’m going to share with you today, some of the top online eco-friendly printing companies out there today.

From using wind-power to offsetting the carbon emissions of shipping their products, to using recycled papers created using wind power and soy-based inks, to cleaning their presses with chemical- free products, to recycling all of their waste materials, these are the companies that are at the top of my list for all my printing needs.

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All the companies listed here use a variety of processes to ensure their products have as little impact on the environment as possible.

1. Greener Printing (based in Berkeley, CA)

2. 4Over4 (based in Astoria, NY)

3. TigerPress (based in Northampton, MA)

4. Hemlock Printers (based in Vancouver, BC, Canada)

5. Green Printer (based in Cheyenne, WY)

6. Eco-Friendly Printer (based in Lincoln Lark, NJ)

And a couple more useful links:
1. Here is a great article called “What to look for in a green printer” that is worth checking out.

2. And here is a list of some more environmentally-friendly printers on a great blog called Re-Nourish. There are also links to eco-friendly packaging, paper, inks, and more.

GREEN CHALLENGE:It feels like spring cleaning time around our house these days, and I’m all for using natural cleaning products. Switch some of your cleaning products to homemade versions, like vinegar water for cleaning mirrors (if you use newspaper to wipe them down, it won’t leave streaks, and then you can recycle it!), baking soda and water as an oven cleaner, and baking soda/water/lemon juice combos for general cleaning and grease-cutting.

About the contributor: Jessica Gonacha is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia who is endlessly creating. Her work includes paintings, drawings, illustrations, and paper goods and is vibrant, colorful, and charming. Her work can be found on her site, in her Etsy shop and in the Indie Fixx Shop. You can also read more about Jessica and her work on her blog.