Issue 45: Pulp fiction
Are you willing to pay for a greener BMC?
Bad news for trees. That’s what some people say about the BMC and the vast reams of paperwork we produce and circulate every year. But finally we’re doing something about it. Perhaps you’ve seen the new ‘green tree’ logo on our literature? We’re in process of switching to 100% recycled paper and we’ll be going a step further with plans to use only pulp and paper products sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)* certified suppliers by the year-end.
And we’re well on our way to making the switch. Since December all of our envelopes and membership literature are on recycled paper, ditto with the printer and photocopier paper, we’ve even taken the plunge with the office toilet rolls. Summit magazine has proved the biggest decision and we’ve taken some convincing that reproduction standards would be up to scratch using recycled paper. So we’ve gone for it anyway and hopefully you’ll agree we got it right. Recycled paper is just part of it though. For years we’ve recycled waste paper in the office, used low-energy light bulbs and we’re also trying to keep the heaters turned down.
Gone are the days when ‘going recycled’ meant a grey, grainy finish and double the price. Today there’s no excuse for not making the switch. The cost is relatively modest. We anticipate a 10% increase in print costs. £10-12k per year, or 20p per BMC member.
But will it really make any difference? I suppose it’s a bit like using your vote. In isolation - no - but collectively - yes. Last night the BBC reported the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projection of a 3% increase in global temperatures by 2100; a catastrophic prospect for poorer countries and island communities. According to the IPCC, ‘warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea levels’. The BMC’s efforts to reduce our carbon footprint may well be a drop in the ocean, but surely its right that the outdoor community does its bit. We have a vested interest after all - witness the effects of warmer winters in the Alps for starters.
It’s an interesting irony but elsewhere in ‘planet BMC’ our access and conservation team are producing a publication on woodland management and tree clearance at crags. It would be great to think that we could use pulp from trees felled at Tremadog to produce paper for the office. No doubt there’ll be a myriad of reasons why this won’t be possible but it’s certainly worth a thought.
But in the meantime we’ll continue to do out bit. And if you're in a position of influence, we’d ask you to consider how you could contribute. In the words of one of our modern day super-brands - every little helps.
Dave Turnbull, CEO
*FSC sets international standards for forest management. Since 1995, it has certified 84+ million hectares in 82 countries and 1000s of products are now made from FSC certified wood.
Bad news for trees. That’s what some people say about the BMC and the vast reams of paperwork we produce and circulate every year. But finally we’re doing something about it. Perhaps you’ve seen the new ‘green tree’ logo on our literature? We’re in process of switching to 100% recycled paper and we’ll be going a step further with plans to use only pulp and paper products sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)* certified suppliers by the year-end.
And we’re well on our way to making the switch. Since December all of our envelopes and membership literature are on recycled paper, ditto with the printer and photocopier paper, we’ve even taken the plunge with the office toilet rolls. Summit magazine has proved the biggest decision and we’ve taken some convincing that reproduction standards would be up to scratch using recycled paper. So we’ve gone for it anyway and hopefully you’ll agree we got it right. Recycled paper is just part of it though. For years we’ve recycled waste paper in the office, used low-energy light bulbs and we’re also trying to keep the heaters turned down.
Gone are the days when ‘going recycled’ meant a grey, grainy finish and double the price. Today there’s no excuse for not making the switch. The cost is relatively modest. We anticipate a 10% increase in print costs. £10-12k per year, or 20p per BMC member.
But will it really make any difference? I suppose it’s a bit like using your vote. In isolation - no - but collectively - yes. Last night the BBC reported the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projection of a 3% increase in global temperatures by 2100; a catastrophic prospect for poorer countries and island communities. According to the IPCC, ‘warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea levels’. The BMC’s efforts to reduce our carbon footprint may well be a drop in the ocean, but surely its right that the outdoor community does its bit. We have a vested interest after all - witness the effects of warmer winters in the Alps for starters.
It’s an interesting irony but elsewhere in ‘planet BMC’ our access and conservation team are producing a publication on woodland management and tree clearance at crags. It would be great to think that we could use pulp from trees felled at Tremadog to produce paper for the office. No doubt there’ll be a myriad of reasons why this won’t be possible but it’s certainly worth a thought.
But in the meantime we’ll continue to do out bit. And if you're in a position of influence, we’d ask you to consider how you could contribute. In the words of one of our modern day super-brands - every little helps.
Dave Turnbull, CEO
*FSC sets international standards for forest management. Since 1995, it has certified 84+ million hectares in 82 countries and 1000s of products are now made from FSC certified wood.
