Save or Delete - illustration by Quentin Blake
On October 3rd Greenpeace will launch a new campaign that aims to green the UK book publishing sector.
Fourteen leading UK authors, including JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Helen Fielding, John O'Farrell and Joanna Trollope (1) have already pledged to support the campaign and ensure that their next books are printed on 'ancient forest friendly' paper.
At the campaign launch, Greenpeace will release a new report 'The Paper Trail, a Greenpeace guide to sourcing ancient forest friendly paper for the book publishing industry'. The report details how current UK publishing industry paper procurement policies are inadvertently fuelling the destruction of ancient forest regions in Finland and Canada. Some publishers are also sourcing paper from Russia (via Finland), where at least 50% of logging is estimated to be illegal (2). Many are also printing children's titles in South East Asia, on paper that could be linked to South East Asian rainforest destruction.
The report also provides practical guidance for publishers wanting to source 'ancient forest friendly' book paper - that is recycled and/or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper (3).
Greenpeace is urging UK publishers to follow the example of Canadian publishers, 35 of whom, including Random House Canada and Penguin Canada, have made formal commitments to phase out ancient forest fibre from their books. As a result five new 'ancient forest friendly' book papers have been created and three million Canadian books have been printed on 'ancient forest friendly' paper. This includes the Canadian edition of JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' which is the only edition in the world printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper. Representatives of the Canadian initiative will be at the launch to share their experiences.
John O'Farrell, speaking at the campaign launch said, "I have done my bit for saving paper by writing novels that don't become number one best sellers. I call on more successful writers to do likewise".
Graham Lester George, Chair of Writers Guild of Great Britain, June 2003, said: "If we don't act now, the terrible irony is that our great grandchildren will only know of our ancient forests through pictures in books printed on the paper that contributed to their destruction. We support this campaign".
John Sauven, Greenpeace Campaign Director said, "As an industry dealing in paper products, book publishers have a crucial role to play in helping to protect the world's ancient forests. In Canada leading publishing houses have already risen to the challenge, with considerable success, and we are now urging the UK industry to follow suit."
A staggering 80% of world's original ancient forests have been destroyed or degraded. Much of what remains is under threat from illegal and destructive logging, often for use by the paper industry.
The book campaign is part of 'Save or Delete', Greenpeace's global campaign to save the world's remaining ancient forests and the many plants, animals and people who depend upon them. Greenpeace is promoting solutions to the ancient forest crisis, such as an international ban on trade in illegal timber and the promotion of FSC certified timber and paper products.
NOTES TO EDITORS
(1) UK authors who have signed up to support the campaign and work with Greenpeace to pressure their publishers to ensure that their future books are produced on ancient forest friendly paper include: Anne Fine, Andy McNab, Ben Elton, Charlotte Bingham, Helen Fielding, Ian Rankin, Joanna Trollope, John O'Farrell, John King, JK Rowling, Maggie O'Farrell, Penny Vincenzi, Philip Pullman and William Sutcliffe.
(2) Greenpeace Russia estimates based on interviews with State Forest Service, company specialists and experts, cited in Greenpeace (2003), Finnish forestry: destroying forests, destroying livelihoods.
(3) 'Ancient forest friendly paper' is defined as recycled paper with a high post-consumer waste content and/or pulp from Forest Stewardship Council accredited timber. FSC accreditation ensures that paper fibre comes from forests that are well managed to strong ecological and social criteria. For more information visit http://www.fsc-uk.info/.
Publishing houses contacted by Greenpeace earlier this year were Pan Macmillan, Penguin, Random House, Harper Collins, Hodder Headline, Scholastic, Orion, Bloomsbury, Mills and Boon, Time Warner Books, Egmont, Simon & Schuster, Faber & Faber. Orion and Simon & Schuster did not respond to any correspondence. Mills & Boon were unable to supply any information.
