Survival Guide — Studio Sessions: So You Want to Become a Green

Being “green” has become a trendy word that refers to sustainable living. The word is splattered on TV ads, billboards and magazines. Everyone is trying to become green, wants to be green or is just using the word green. Green has taken on many different, often vague meanings. But does going green have anything to do with the photography industry? As photographers we have learned that nothing happens in a vacuum. If there is anything we have learned, especially in an ever-changing photographic climate, it’s that change will affect us. The green movement isn’t any different. But how exactly are we affected?

The idea that the earth’s climate is changing, largely due to the activities of our modern civilization, seems to have finally gained a more mainstream acceptance. Individuals and businesses have acknowledged the impact our carbon footprints have on the planet and many are seeking solutions to help minimize the effects on climate change.

Since the solutions are complex, it is essential that photographers educate themselves with regards to the environmental aspects of photographic products. This can be a difficult task and requires an in-depth exploration of photographic processes.

These days it seems like everyone is going green. But what does it all mean, exactly? GM’s all-electric Volt car and Cadillac’s hybrid Escalade SUV both claim to be more eco-friendly but, as you can probably guess, almost every green claim is relative to something else. To make matters even more complex, you need to expand your awareness of the product itself: How did it come into being? How do we use it in relation to alternative choices? What happens when we dispose of the product?

A truly green product should be sustainable, energy efficient, made with recycled material and eventually recyclable, not to mention durable and repairable. It should not create unnecessary waste with too much packaging or a short shelf life.

In this article “green” means “eco-friendly.” It is impossible to become 100 percent green, just as it is impossible for a product to become 100 percent archival. We believe that green is a process of becoming more ecologically aware. Therefore, eco-friendly seems to be more realistic terminology.

In order to truly understand the impact of any particular product on the environment, we should really examine the entire product lifecycle: Obtaining raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, consumption and finally disposal. For instance, it is far more environmentally friendly to produce soy protein than meat protein, yet very few people consider the environmental impact of ordering a regular burger over a veggie burger. A recycled cardboard box surrounding an inkjet cartridge may make it appear greener, but the cartridge itself may not be recyclable.

Eco-friendly Tips for Photographers
Go digital. Photographers can use film and all of the related darkroom chemistry or use a digital camera. There is no cost for film and processing, which allows us to take many more images. Our industry has clearly impacted our environment, yet photography has reinvented itself in the last decade. Clearly, the new workflow is far better for the environment with respect to consumption: We avoid using all those nasty chemicals in film and paper developing. While this aspect of a digital workflow is indeed greener, it can also be argued that the new workflow necessitates the use of more electricity and, with regards to disposal, the avalanche of computers, monitors and printers in landfills is creating toxic and unsustainable conditions. When we look at just one slice of a photography product’s lifecycle, and ignore all the other stages, we haven’t looked at the whole picture.

Going digital is an easy eco-friendly decision. But it is also a great idea for us to use our cameras as long as possible and then give, donate or sell them, so they will be reused instead of thrown away.

Post images online. What are the options for wall and smaller prints? We can post them online or make paper photographs
and/or DVDs.

Paper photographs still constitute the vast majority of individual image delivery. Manufacturers of chemicals, paper and equipment generally conform to ISO 14001 quality standards—a comprehensive standard designed for manufacturers, that have environmental requirements, either internally or externally imposed, with which they need to conform. Often this means providing objective evidence that can be reviewed or audited by appropriate authorities to ensure that the organization is conforming to regulations and that the environmental management system is operating properly. Yet color photographic paper is still either RC (encapsulated in between layers of polyethylene) or solid polyester, which renders it non-recyclable. The newer “dry lab” processors use a type of aqueous dye ink rather than more traditional photo-processing chemistry. Even DVDs have a manufacturing and disposal impact on our environment. For small prints, online delivery appears to have the least impact on our environment. It is also a much more efficient method for our clients because it minimizes delays.

Refrain from using chemicals. Photographic chemistry contains a whole litany of compounds that can be harmful to the environment. Most photographic solutions have high chemical and biological oxygen demand. These chemical wastes are often treated with ozone, peroxide or aeration to reduce the COD (chemical oxygen demand). Many photographic chemicals use non-biodegradable compounds, such as EDTA, DTPA, NTA, which are also known as chelating agents. These agents are found in alarmingly high concentrations in some water supplies from which municipal tap water is taken. Water containing these chelating agents can leach metal from water treatment equipment as well as pipes. This is becoming an issue in Europe and other parts of the world. Major manufacturers sought development of more biodegradable alternatives to the EDTA and other bleaching agent constituents, until the industry became less profitable when the digital era began.

Print with inkjet printers. Inkjet printing papers and ink can be one of the most eco-friendly methods of producing an image. Pigment inks are better than dye inks and aqueous (water-based) inks are better than solvent inks. Modern wide-format printers today use aqueous pigment inks. They can print on a wide variety of eco-friendly manufactured papers, including Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified (paper made from trees cut in a sustainable manner) including sustainable forest trees, 100 percent cotton, bamboo and other renewable fibers such as mulberry. In addition, even with the addition of pigment ink, many of these papers are considered recyclable, whereas nearly all photographs must ultimately be disposed of in a landfill.

Inks or toners for printing are essential in our trade if we are delivering a paper image. The environmental impact of using inks can only be measured by the comparing the alternatives. Unlike most inks used by bigger offset presses which can release harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) as they dry, aqueous pigments are water based and do not release these types of toxins when drying. Although offset presses are greening their process by starting to use UV inks and “eco-solvent” inks, and digital presses are using a mild solvent liquid toner, the aqueous-based inks for inkjet printing are still easiest on the environment.

Soy ink made its debut about a decade ago, and while it is definitely the most eco-friendly of them all, these inks unfortunately exhibit fading tendencies. While they might be the perfect solution for producing newsprint on a web-fed press, they aren’t necessarily the best choice for photography, unless longevity is not a factor. Additionally, soy inks have been known to clog print heads in some inkjet printers.

Use digital presses. Digital presses are, generally speaking, greener than their cousins, the offset presses, since the former uses a mild solvent toner system and the vast majority of offset presses still use solvent inks. Some album/book manufacturers utilize digital presses since they are capable of extremely short runs, using a database instead of physical plates or films. They don’t require spray powders, cleaning solvents or the solid waste disposal requirements as offset presses. Yet little is disclosed about the manufacturing process of the paper used in digital presses. Mass production of paper generally means cutting down trees, and this process can be either sustainable or it can destroy old-growth forests. All color photographic materials available today are coated on either RC (resin coated) paper or on solid polyester. The paper base of resin-coated papers is sealed by two polyethylene layers, rendering it impossible to recycle. Metallic paper and many other types of photographic paper are developed using RA-4 chemistry.

Purchase eco-friendly packaging. Many brides love having a DVD of their images, but is giving our brides a DVD the best idea for the environment?
The problem with DVDs is that they and their jewel cases are made of polycarbonates, which are considered bad for the environment. To offset DVDs and jewel cases, you can purchase eco-friendly packaging instead of standard jewel cases. At this time there is no substitute for a greener disc. CDs and DVDs are also non-biodegradable products.

Try eco-framing. Unfortunately, it can be extremely difficult to find eco-friendly framing. Most commercially available frames are made of wood, plastic, particleboard or aluminum. Eco-Framing (www.eco-framing.com) in San Francisco is one of the few framing sources that utilize bamboo and sustainable wood. You can always purchase materials like bamboo, rattan or used barn wood and create your own green frame.

Dollars vs. Conscience
With all of the information we have gathered we are forced to make choices. Making choices often involve trade-offs.  As photographers and business people we can try to become as eco-friendly as possible, but we still must prioritize our life decisions. It is imperative for us to render a profit in order to make a living as well as help to save the planet.

Some of us have found that our clients are interested in having green weddings. Yes, they can find vendors that try to be as eco-friendly as possible, but green products and services may cost 30–50 percent more than non-green weddings. Are brides willing to sacrifice financially if they are committed to a green wedding?

Even “eco” certifications should be carefully considered. Does obtaining the Green Seal (www.greenseal.org) or other certificate cost money? Yes, but it is an accreditation and an investment that proclaims your shop as an eco-friendly studio. Just beware that all seals and certificates are not the sign of greenness. Some are interested in making profit by selling you a certificate that is relatively meaningless. A certificate that says “I am green” does not make you a green photographer. Some companies donate a great deal of money towards a green cause and then call themselves green.

Becoming an eco-friendly photographer is not an end; rather, it is an ongoing process that starts with educating yourself about choices. In many cases it requires looking past the spin about greenness claims, as you gather as much information possible about the complete lifecycles of products you use. It involves examining your total workflow including equipment, taking and processing images and outputting options. It requires an examination of the costs and benefits of going green. The more aware we are of the alternatives, the more able we are to make eco-friendly choices.

Larry Crandall is a Certified Master Photographer and the co-owner White Glove First Edition Books. Paul Thompson is a Certified Master Photographer, Craftsman and co-owner White Glove First Edition Books