Printers’ scepticism of climate change is holding them back from seizing the opportunities of the emerging green economy, environmental consultant Phil Lawrence says.
A recent ProPrint poll found 37 per cent of print professionals think Australia should not do anything to reduce its carbon emissions, because they do not believe man-made climate change is real.
Those who said Australia should do something to reduce emissions largely rejected the Abbott Government’s direct action plan, with only 15 per cent saying it was the best option, compared to 24 per cent advocating a carbon tax and the same number favouring an emissions trading scheme.
[Related: Printers welcome end of carbon tax]
Lawrence, who consults for BJ Ball’s e3 energy technology division, says printers that do not take advantage of environmental technologies like energy efficiency, renewable power, recycling and carbon credits will be at a competitive disadvantage.
“Business owners who do not believe climate change is happening are holding themselves back from participating in the green economy, and in fact deny this economy even exists,” he says.
“Printers need to look inwards at their business – carbon is money, every bit you save makes you money and is a measuring of the efficiency of the business.”
He says one printer e3 just installed a voltage optimisation system on expects to save $1m over the next decade from lower electricity bills.
Lawrence says Australia, and much of the developed world, is rapidly shifting to knowledge-based economies where smart business areas and services are more profitable, and printers risk being left behind if they continue to deny the consensus of climate scientists.
“The top printers in the world have good environmental records,” he says.
“The failure of Focus Press, which was a leader in this area, may have some people feeling even more sceptical, but the reality is that business failed for other reasons.”
Printers’ attitudes to climate change are also at odds with that of the general population, with 70 per cent of respondents to a recent JWS Research survey believe climate change is occurring, with 89 per cent of those feeling the effects already.
Some 61 per cent want Australia to be a leader on the issue, 70 per cent want the renewable energy target to be higher and believe it creates economic opportunities, 47 per cent think a carbon tax is better than nothing and more people support the tax than oppose it.
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Lawrence says the number of printers who don’t believe in climate change is hardly surprising, given that business owners and those with trade background tend to be more sceptical of it.
“Business owners are prone to being more right wing in their views and the industry is also populated with a lot of older white men,” he says.
“Committed climate change deniers also tend to believe many more people share their view than in reality.”
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