The Environmental Action Group was formed by The Publishers Association and The Booksellers Association to encourage and help the book industry to reduce its carbon emissions, operate more sustainably and reduce the impact of book publishing and bookselling on the environment.
There are many ways in which the industry can do this – from using paper from sustainable sources and reducing plastic bag usage, to examining the supply chain. Contrary to the general perception, books currently use less than 1% of the world’s timber and, moreover, an increasing percentage in the UK are now printed on paper from sustainable sources.
Another misconception is that e-books are more environmentally friendly than paper books. In fact, independent studies have ascertained that there is very little difference between the two because of the emissions generated to run servers and in the manufacture of electronic readers.
When a printed book is on the shelf, it represents carbon that has been ‘captured’ and free of emissions for ever. A printed book on paper from a tree that is immediately replanted is a good green product.
As an industry, we're already doing quite a lot on environmental and corporate social responsibility issues, but we need to do more. The Climate Change Act has legally committed the UK to cutting its carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050 based on 1990 levels. The EAG calls upon every publisher and bookseller to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 10% during the period covering January 2006 to December 2015.
Using this website
What book industry companies are doing
EAG Meetings
Use this website to learn how to:
- reduce carbon emissions
- recycle more
- reduce the use of packaging and plastic bags
- reduce energy consumption and transport costs
- reduce returns
- source environmentally friendly paper and other products
This is what book industry companies are doing*
Publishers:
- 94% recycle
- 87% use an external recycling service
- 77% use private recycling companies
- 84% reuse packaging and packing materials
- 56% reuse electrical goods in line with the WEEE directive
- 47% said that more than 90% of their paper output is recyclable
- 35% have energy champions within their businesses
Major UK Printer
- 100% recycling/reusing of all paper, cardboard, plastic & wood
- 70% reduction in waste to landfill
- 35% reduction of IPA (a VOC)
- 8% reduction in electricity usage
Booksellers:
- 88% recycle
- 62% use an external recycling service
- 57% use the local council recycling service
- 40% use private recycling companies
- 95% reuse packaging and packing materials
- 35% reuse electrical goods in line with the WEEE directive
- 47% offer recycled paper bags
- 41% offer recycled plastic bags
- 23% offer cotton or jute bags
- 66% only have doors open in fine weather
- 18% keep doors closed [only 16% have doors open all the time]
* Source: BA Questionnaire to BA and PA members - % of respondents
EAG Meetings
The BA/PA EAG meets several times throughout the year. Members of the BA and PA and others working in the book industry are invited to submit items which they would like the Group to address by emailing sydney.davies@booksellers.org.uk
Publishers Association 29B Montague Street, London WC1B 5BW Tel: 020 7691 9191
Booksellers Association 272 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1BA Tel: 020 7802 0802