Franklin didn't join the environmental bandwagon yesterday. We've been trumpeting environmental awareness for two decades as part of our sustainable business model.

Early on, we recognized that what's good for the environment is good for our health, good for our customers and good for business.

• We rely exclusively on UV inks that dry instantly and emit extremely low levels of ozone and volatile organic compounds. Few firms can make the same claim.

• Franklin demonstrates industry leadership by participating in the <Forest Stewardship Council>, a group that promotes responsible management of the world's forests. An independent FSC certification body audited Franklin and deemed our use of forestry products as exemplary in our field. That certification assures customers that when they select Franklin, they're being environmentally responsible stewards.

• We collect all waste paper created by our work, bale it and sell it to a paper recycler. When designing direct mail jobs, we select paper sizes to minimize waste from the outset. And we print on paper certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative or the Forest Stewardship Council. That means Franklin uses paper made of post-consumer recycled fiber or generated from renewable forests.

• Franklin's environmental stewardship extends to all of our operations. Emissions are reduced to the lowest possible level, energy-reducing technologies are deployed throughout our facilities, water conservation is practiced and wastewater discharges meet or exceed all regulations.

• As early as 1993, Franklin illustrated the importance of environmental stewardship by printing and distributing the comic book Ecoman to schoolchildren. We're still learning today. And when we find a great way to improve the environment, we encourage our employees, suppliers and customers to adopt the idea, too.