Wheat sheet wins accolades for Markets Initiative and Dollco Printing

Coming up with and using a "wheat sheet" made of leftovers from grain harvesting won Markets Initiative and Dollco Printing the Most Progressive Environmental Printing project award yesterday at the annual Print Action Environmental Printing Awards. Nicole Rycroft, executive director Markets Initiative, was also recognized, for the second time, as an "environmental innovator".

The ‘wheat sheet’ was used in Canadian Geographic’s June 2008 issue, the first time wheat straw waste was used in North American publishing.

“There’s no reason paper has to be made from forests,’ said Rycroft, who spearheaded the development of Canada’s first wheat sheet several years ago and brought multiple partners together including Canadian Geographic, Alberta Research Council, New Page and Dollco Printers to ensure success. “I believe wheat straw waste and other agricultural residues are the future of paper in much of Canada and a key way to keep our forests standing and our climate stable.”

Also honoured at the awards were

• St. Joseph Printing for environmental community involvement with its Partners in Growth program; and
• Town Media, as most environmentally progressive print consumer in Canada for its paper supply policy