UTP's Green Commitment
Conserving natural resources and minimizing environmental impact are becoming ever more important in an increasingly industrialized world. All of UTP’s divisions are committed to using energy responsibly, reducing waste, and implementing greener policies. UTP recognizes that investing in tomorrow means protecting the environment today, and working creatively for institutional and individual change.
The Journals Division has made significant progress within its editorial, production, and circulation departments in reducing paper and plastic usage. Green initiatives within the Journals Division include:
- Offering an online only option for nearly all journals;
- Using the "soft proofing" option on some journals;
- Delivering author proofs via PDF;
- Trimming print runs as closely as possible;
- Sending renewal notices by e-mail;
- Doing most marketing online and via e-mail;
- Transmitting author agreements by e-mail in PDF;
- Developing and encouraging the use of PRESTO (Peer Review System Tracking Online);
- Discontinuing the use of polybags to mail journals;
- Editing on screen rather than on hard copy; and
- Reporting electronically.
The University of Toronto Bookstore is also devoted to doing business in an environmentally friendly manner, and has contributed to UTP’s green initiatives in the following ways:
- Achieving an 80% reduction of plastic waste over the past two years;
- Selling a reusable cloth bag at an affordable price, thus reducing the number of plastic bags used per year by 260,000 since 2008; and
- Carrying an extensive selection of reusable water bottles and travel mugs, environmentally friendly stationery, organic clothing, and more.
UTP Publishing has also demonstrated its commitment to the environment by implementing the following strategies:
- Encouraging peer reviewers to read electronic copies of manuscripts and to submit electronic reports;
- Requesting that copyeditors work on screen and use email to transmit documents;
- Using vegetable-based inks in publications, and printing the vast majority of books on acid-free and 100% post-consumer recycled paper;
- Ensuring that print runs correspond to immediate sales forecasts, and reprinting only as necessary;
- Introducing an electronic examination copy program;
- Reducing the print run on the seasonal catalogue by 50%, and directing customers to the e-catalogue available on UTP’s website;
- Targeting e-marketing through list-servs, e-flyers, e-vites, e-newsletters, Facebook, and Twitter; and
- Encouraging employees to reduce all non-essential printing, to print all documents double-sided, to turn off computers at night, and to switch off lights when leaving a room.