Every year, on 22nd April, we celebrate Earth Day.

what is earth day?

Established in 1970, Earth Day is an annual event that aims to focus attention on the planet and demonstrate support for the environment. It promotes activities and discussions around environmental impact, and this year will be celebrated by an estimated one billion people globally.

This year’s Earth Day theme is ‘Invest in our Planet’ and hopes to encourage individuals, businesses, and governments to invest in technologies and practices that can benefit the environment. At Holywell Press, we already work hard to make our design and print operations sustainable and minimise our environmental impact by:

• Generating our own electricity and contributing to the National Grid with solar panels on the factory roof
• Reusing paper packaging to reduce waste, and recycling everything we can
• Visiting customers and making deliveries in Oxford by bicycle
• Using FSC^® and PEFC™ certified paper
• Working proactively with customers to transition from plastic packaging to paper-based alternatives
• Supporting the Woodland Trust's Carbon Captured paper scheme to offset CO₂ generated in the production, storage, and distribution of the paper we buy – planting 7,300m² of native UK woodland and capturing around 300 tonnes of CO₂ since 2014.

But we know we can do more. And we are committed to a planet-positive future.

paper and the environment

Sometimes, we hear from customers who want to move away from printing because they think digital communications are more environmentally friendly. The reality, of course, is that we don’t always consider the environmental cost and environmental impact of digital technologies because they are less visible. 

As well as being the preferred reading medium for many, paper is a brilliantly sustainable and renewable resource. It is one of the few products that epitomises the circular economy model of make, use, recycle and reuse. 

So, with the help of our friends at Two Sides, we’re celebrating #EarthDay2022 with a few facts about the sustainable nature of paper and printing. We hope this helps to address any concerns you may have and show that investing in paper-based communications can have a positive environmental impact.

1. Trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and wood and paper products store CO₂ throughout their lifetime.
2. 62% of the energy used in European paper production and paper packaging comes from renewable sources.
3. Almost 105 million hectares (52%) of Europe's forest areas are certified as sustainably and responsibly managed.
4. Between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by 58,390 km² – that’s an area bigger than Switzerland!
5. The paper recycling rate is now 74%…the highest in the world!

Wishing you a happy, thoughtful, and sustainable Earth Day.

If you’d like to find out more about printing sustainably using Carbon Captured paper or would like advice about how to transition from plastic to paper-based alternatives, please call 01865 242098 or contact us using the button below.