ACUP+ 2023: Making Arizona Greener
Sustainability is a hot topic among college students. Studies show 75% of Generation Z consumers value sustainability more than brand when making purchasing decisions, noted Dylan Turner of Northern Arizona University in one ACUP+ presentation — and most are willing to spend 10% more for sustainable products. Since Gen Z is entering the workforce and influencing purchasing decisions, he added, in-plants should be looking for ways to get ahead of this trend and decrease their own carbon footprints.
Sustainability is a priority at NAU, Turner noted, so his in-plant has been moving away from Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substrates and seeking PVC-free alternatives like 3M Envision wrap films and Ultraflex Systems banner materials that produce low emissions of volatile compounds. He also listed environmentally friendly toner papers like Neenah Environment PC100 his in-plant is using, along with paper-based tape instead of plastic for boxing and recycled bags instead of shrink wrapping.
Turner noted that the NAU Green Fund, which distributes grant money to fund sustainable initiatives, awarded the in-plant $65,000 toward a new EFI 16H hybrid flatbed printer, based on the promise of using biodegradable paper board instead of Coroplast when possible to supply the university’s signage needs.
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 170 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
