CU Press will will save more trees in 2004

Cornell University Press (CUP) celebrated Earth Day, April 22, in the shade of some of the 2,347 trees it will save this year by printing on recycled paper.

Of course the national university press leader in recycled-paper usage never planned to cut the graceful hardwoods shading its East State Street headquarters -- they're really thinking about old-growth and forest-harvested trees growing in ecologically diverse habitats -- but they have statistics to back up their claim, said Deborah Bruner, production and design manager for CUP.

"As the top environmentally friendly university publishing house, Cornell University Press has increased its recycled content consistently year after year," Bruner reported. "By the end of 2004, nearly 88 percent of our paper usage will be completely recycled, containing an average of 60 percent post-consumer content. Last year it was a respectable 41 tons, and this year we're making a quantum leap to 163 tons."

Because recycled paper making is more efficient than starting from scratch with harvested trees, the 88 percent recycled content translates into 684,600 fewer gallons of water used, 400,980 fewer kilowatts of electricity used and 5,868 fewer pounds of air pollution produced, according to CUP estimates.

As part of an industry that is responsible for 20 to 25 million trees falling in the forest each year, CUP is a small player -- but an efficient one, Bruner emphasized. "Compared to book giants like Random House and Penguin, university presses are very small. CUP published about 250 titles last year, but what we don't have in size we make up in efficiency and effectiveness. And inventiveness. With our ability to change quickly we are at a distinct advantage to try out small suppliers of environmentally friendly products with low risk. Using trial and error, we found reliable suppliers with high-quality products."