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“Environmental responsibility was always an issue for Bacchus, years before we even knew how bad things had gotten.”

 

 

 

 

 

In the News

March 2009

In today’s setting of environmentally conscious businesses, industries that have proven detrimental to the environment are being intensely scrutinized and restructured in order to lessen their carbon footprints and negative influence on the earth’s vital natural resources. The practices that have historically been associated with printing place it alongside these environmentally damaging industries because of the consumption of fossil fuels required by traditional presses and the use of Volatile Organic Compounds (often referred to as VOC’s).

However, over the past twenty years new options have emerged for the environmentally conscious printing press to eliminate the use of VOC’s and to reduce or replace fossil fuels. How a business can incorporate these new practices in the interest of the Green movement while still offering competitive prices and quality customer service is a story worth telling, considering the example it could provide for other presses still currently engaged in detrimental printing techniques.

In the Spring 2009 issue of Green Business Quarterly, the story of how Bacchus Press reformatted their business to be a fully Green enterprise displays that such lofty ideals are a tangible reality for printing presses of the 21st century.

In his interview with Green Business Quarterly, Bacchus Press CEO and President Mansoor Assadi states: “Environmental responsibility was always an issue for Bacchus, years before we even knew how bad things had gotten.” Back in 1980, Assadi purchased a failing printing press, immediately renamed it, and began to update its processes by installing new presses and throwing away outdated equipment. It was clear to Assadi even before the present day environmental crisis that the next logical step for Bacchus Press was to make the press as environmentally friendly as possible.

With this in mind, Bacchus began using soy and vegetable based inks, which incorporated little or no VOC’s; and he attained certifications with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to ensure the paper they utilized adhered to the strictest standards of sustainability. With these updates and an almost fanatical approach to recycling all possible materials, Bacchus Press found itself to be a fully Green business. Some years later, Bacchus discovered that they already met all of the prerequisites of the Bay Area Green Business Council and, thus, quickly garnered yet another certification that endorsed their commitment to the environment.

Although Bacchus Press is already regarded as one of the most sustainable printing presses in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mansoor Assadi and his employees continue to struggle for higher standards, evident by their recent induction to the Carbon Fund Partnership, which offsets the monthly utility bills of their office with wind, water, and solar power. Bacchus Press intends to continue their commitment to Green sustainability in the coming years while, above all else, maintaining a quality work ethic and valuing customer satisfaction. More on the story of Bacchus Press and other prominent Green businesses can be read in the Spring 2009 issue of Green Business Quarterly. For a closer look at Bacchus Press and their commitment to sustainable printing practices, their website includes descriptions of their environmentally conscious products and services.