PGAMA "Print Grows Trees" Campaign
Busting the Environmental Myth that Print Endangers U.S. Forests
Problem
Printing and related jobs are projected to decline by 16% and newspaper publishing by 23.2% by 2018, due in part to the “Think before you print” campaign, which erroneously teaches consumers that by not using printed paper, they will save trees. PGAMA, the Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic, is seeking to bust this myth and help its membership to compete on a level playing field where environmental concerns are no longer a barrier when choosing printed communications.
Solution
“Print Grows Trees” draws a straight line from the printed page to private landowners who hold in their hands the fate of nearly 60% of U.S. forests. With a depressed timber market, many are forced to sell their woodlands to developers, and we’re losing 4,000 acres a day of valuable woodland ecosystems to houses and parking lots. The “Print Grows Trees” campaign shows how print really does grow trees.
Results
Posters strategically placed throughout the Washington, D.C. transit system drove thousands of visitors to the "Print Grows Trees" website. The five-week media campaign netted more than 60 inquiries, and reached 54% of the city’s adult population an average of 4.3 times. The information offered will help consumers make more informed decisions about the clean air and water our U.S. woodlands supply for millions that are endangered when private landowners are forced, due to lack of income from the land, to sell to developers. Ultimately, our hope is that consumers will “Think before you don’t print”.