That’s a line which, at this point on the cyber timeline, we are all very familiar with. Now try this one on for size:

“Consider the environment before you communicate electronically rather than via paper.”

A bit less catchy, granted, and it probably leaves you scratching your head, so ingrained is the notion that paper is inherently ‘bad’ for the environment.

Of course, the directive at the beginning of this piece is completely valid, and the attempt here is not to undermine it. Rather, the idea is to dispel some of the myths that condemn paper as being categorically evil, environmentally speaking, and that consequently place electronics as the flawless darlings of the communications world.

Think about this: paper is made from a renewable resource, and is fully recyclable. Compare that to laptops, PCs, printers and servers. Ok, so you’ll discard a lot more paper than hardware on a weekly or monthly basis, but the fact is that 20-50 million tonnes of electronic products are discarded every year, and much of this waste is not recyclable. In contrast, recent reports state that, in Europe, 71% of paper used is later recycled.

Another very surprising statistic has to do with the energy involved in producing paper. It is often assumed – and I hold my own hands up here – that it takes vast amounts of energy to produce paper. The reality is that the 500kWh of electricity required to produce 200kg of paper (the average amount that each of us use in a year) is the equivalent of powering one computer continuously for five months, or burning a 60w light bulb continuously for one year. On the other hand, sending one email with a 400k attachment to twenty people uses energy equivalent to that of burning a 100w light bulb for thirty minutes.

Of course, paper has other benefits that electronic means will never be able to match: it is versatile, practical and offers aesthetic features that a computer screen just doesn’t have. According to Royal Mail, “our mood will improve by up to 29% if exposed to a positive tactile feeling” – so it’s good for the soul as well!

So while it’s still important to consider the environment before you print, hopefully the facts above will show that using paper and printed materials isn’t quite as shameful as we thought.

Oh, and while we’re at it – at Riasca all of our paper is FSC certified, and we offer a huge range of eco-friendly products on our website, www.riasca.co.uk. Plus, we can provide you with recycling bins and related products, and offer advice on how to make your office eco-friendly.

The data above is taken from www.twosides.info.

• Since 2005 we have delivered winning campaign material
• We currently deal with over 40 Labour MPs
• All material is designed and produced in house
• Each piece is bespoke to your candidate

We offer unrivalled flexibility: we produce timely, locally relevant material for use both before and during the campaign.

Why use Riasca?

The Riasca Print for Labour branch in Falkirk is ideally situated to produce your printed material for the Scottish Parliament Elections in May.

Since 2005 we have delivered winning campaign material.

• We have dealt with over 40 Labour MPs including Michael Connarty, Anas Sarwar, Gemma Doyle & David Hamilton
• All material is designed and produced in house
• Each piece is bespoke to your candidate

We offer unrivalled flexibility: we produce timely, locally relevant material for use both before and during the campaign.

With the new year fast approaching, you will no doubt be thinking about getting together the collateral you need to help make 2011 a fantastic year not only for you but for the Party, and of course your supporters and constituents.

Here at Riasca Print for Labour, we think that calendars are an excellent investment in terms of reaching your constituents. Not only are they customisable and great for handing out to the members of your local community, but, most importantly, a well-designed and useful calendar will remain on display all year round – what better way to keep yourself in the forefront of people’s minds?

Our calendars can incorporate information like your surgery hours and contact details, making it easy for your constituents to stay in touch with you and keep abreast of developments. We offer a range of options, and our aim is to produce a calendar that you are proud to hand out. We can design your calendar for you if you like, and you can even incorporate specific images – for instance, those that are truly representative of your region. You may also wish to include noteworthy dates or events that are specifically related to your local area, or information such as helpful contact details.

Surgery cards make a great complement to calendars, but they are also useful as stand-alone items. Simplicity is key where surgery cards are concerned, but, again, they can be customised to best reflect you and your policies, and are ideal to keep on-hand to distribute to your constituents as needed.

Remember, we don’t impose delivery charges or minimum order amounts, so you can get exactly what you want without hidden extras. Contact a member of the Riasca team on 01484 463343 for more information on ordering your calendars or surgery cards.

We’ve provided the document in pdf format so you can download and refer to as much or as little as you like.

Coupled with our 2010 Christmas Card pricing & variety of options, you’ll have all you need to reach your constituents.