News

Another week and even more depressing news of financial turmoil, bank bailouts, wholesale job losses and, well, impending fiscal Armageddon of various kinds.

To be honest, I was beginning to think that the seemingly daily announcements of mounting economic woes were in danger of having a desensitising effect and that unless the amounts involved were being quoted in the trillions, then there was a strong possibility that they could slip under my radar.

But the flip side of that is that I feel compelled to latch on limpet-like to any news story that has even the slightest whiff of positivity about it.

So I’m hugely indebted to the National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM), which last week launched its ‘Two Sides’ campaign. The core idea behind the initiative is to dispel some of the damaging environmental myths about paper.

It sounds like a great idea to me, and, unlike Print Sells, it seems to have a relatively simple goal and coherent voice. I suppose the only foreseeable problem is raising the required level of funding to give the scheme the desired critical mass and consumer impact – especially in these trying economic times.

But, as I said I’m focusing on the positive and I’ll happily gloss over that small obstacle and say more power to the NAPM and its members!

Not only has it spoken out against pre-pack administration deals in recent weeks and even threatened legal action against any it believes to be “dubious”, but now it’s looking to actually promote paper and, by association, print.

Of course, the aim of the scheme isn’t just to increase the use of paper pure and simple, obviously that would fly in the face of its environmentally friendly stance, it’s about promoting an informed debate on the green credentials of paper as a means of communication.

And frankly, anything that is likely to promote the power of paper and print has got to be a good thing – and right now it’s especially welcome as good news is in dangerously short supply.

Darryl Danielli is editor of PrintWeek.