Toshiba America Business Solutions declared 23 October 2012 “National No Print Day” and encouraged companies and individuals not to print or photocopy any documents for 24 hours.

The firm said the initiative aims to raise awareness of the impact printing has on the planet.

Ironically, the campaign asks office workers to print out campaign posters and stick them around the office to convince people not to print.

Toshiba is also urging people to print out small stickers to affix to the ‘P’ on their keyboard “to keep from breaking your pledge”.

Two Sides Australia general manager Kellie Northwood told ProPrint that Toshiba’s “factually flawed” campaign was the key reason Two Sides existed.

“[Toshiba] have linked paper use to deforestation when, in fact, responsibly made paper is one of the most sustainable communication products available to us,” she said.

“In Australia, paper is the most recycled commodity when compared to electronic waste which is toxic when undergoing the recycling process or breaking down to landfill. Further, year-on-year recycled paper percentages are increasing significantly.”

Two Sides’ international office described Toshiba’s campaign as one of “the most blatant examples of greenwashing”.

It challenged Toshiba’s claims linking print to deforestation and asked it to consider “verifiable and accurate environmental facts” before withdrawing “this flawed campaign”.

Two Sides says Toshiba has ignored the environmental impact of electronic communications.

It has suggested the US giant does not itself recycle its products effectively and accused the firm of not taking into account accurate and documented environmental facts regarding the use of paper and print for media, before launching the campaign.

Toshiba has not offered a response.

This article originally appeared at printweek.com

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