Printing and digitalisation of documents

The pulp and paper sector has a significant environmental impact, responsible for about 2% of all industry emissions, emitting approximately 190 Mt of CO₂ in 2021. Unfortunately, this carbon footprint is projected to increase further by 2030, necessitating action to address its environmental consequences. Choosing digital sources for information access may be more environmentally friendly than relying on physical books. A paperback book contributes around 1 kg CO₂e to the environment, while a weekend newspaper’s carbon footprint ranges from 0.3kg to 4.1kg CO₂e. Embracing digital platforms can thus lead to potential environmental benefits.

In «Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Paper vs. Electronic Invoicing,» Tenhunen and Al highlight the substantial carbon reduction achieved by transitioning to electronic invoicing. The electronic invoice life cycle proves approximately 63% more environmentally friendly due to the elimination of paper products and transportation.

While many efforts focus on promoting paperless practices to address deforestation concerns, it is vital to also consider the environmental implications of digital media usage as well. Although consulting documents online consume less energy than printing papers, factors like materials used for production, purchased energy, and e-waste produced contribute to the overall carbon footprint of an item. As shown in previous topics, the production of electronic devices through the extraction of materials remains one of the largest pollution sources of the digital sector (60% to 80% of the overall sector). The digitalisation of paper-work is therefore a phenomenon that needs to be assessed depending on the specific context and benefits that it could create. In certain cases, the production and use of electronic devices for digitalisation may be more harmful to the environment than printing (see Tenhunen and Al, 2018).

Therefore, it seems that the conflict between printing and digitalisation may prove to be an erroneous approach. Instead, it may be more relevant to focus on finding and implementing sustainable measures for both media to reduce their environmental impact. Professionals and organisations hold a significant responsibility in adopting and disseminating such practice.