The world’s largest Christian publisher announced this week that it is immediately beginning a complete transition to environmentally conscious Bible binding and practices.
Thomas Nelson, Inc.’s Bible group is in the beginning stages of discontinuing the use of synthetic covers on their Bible products. The decision makes Thomas Nelson the first Bible publisher to announce a complete transition to eco-friendly Bible production.
"As a publisher of Bibles for over 200 years, Thomas Nelson has always striven to bring Scripture into people's lives while also addressing their evolving needs and concerns. We're happy to be leading the way in providing environmentally friendly Bibles in keeping with the concerns of today's consumers," commented Wayne Hastings, Senior Vice President and Group Publisher for Thomas Nelson's Bible Group, in a statement.
"In moving away from oil-based covers we're not only honoring our customers' needs, but we're also honoring our Godly calling to be good stewards of the things He has given to us."
Due to production schedule, some products to be released in the coming months will still include these materials, but customers can expect significant eco-friendly Bibles in stores in early 2009, informed the publisher.
Bibles in bonded leather, leather, and hardcover formats will continue to be available through Thomas Nelson. But the company will also pursue covers made with specialty papers, fabrics and other options in its effort to be eco-friendly. The company’s LeatherSoft bind will be included in the phase-out, and current synthetic materials will be reproduced with “green” binding material.
"We're taking a stand to make sure that all Bible products are eco-friendly," said George Gower, Vice President of Inventory Management Production for Thomas Nelson. "All polyurethane/oil-based covers will be eliminated and replaced with recyclable and recycled materials.
“In fact, inside cover sheets and other selected types of Bible products that use materials from ecological fibers will go up to 100% recyclable with some offerings being 100% post-consumer."
The publisher predicts the total phase-out period will be completed in the next three to five years.
In October 2007, Thomas Nelson released the first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified Bible. The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible is made through a FSC-certified production chain where starting from the forest, to the paper manufacturer, and even the printer are all FSC-certified. The Bible also contains recycled fiber.
The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible is the first eco-friendly Scripture.
Comments
Why is this an issue? If people kept bibles (like they did years ago), then all we'd need is one or two good, leatherbound bibles and that would be it. Good stewards? Just don't throw the bibles out! If they made bibles like they used to, they'd keep longer and disposal wouldn't be an issue.
This is an interesting but somewhat misguided attempt by Thomas Nelson to become "green" by currently accepted standards. Using recycled paper products in manufacturing is a positive approach, but many soon to forget that most all plastics are 100% recyclable too. Take PE (polyethylene) for example... these recycled resins are available to most all injection and rotational molders. The PE materials are tough, durable and waterproof! There are also plastic resins available that are made from organic plant matter, although lesser in popularity, hemp is incredibly strong and very durable and was used predominantly around the turn of the century up to the introduction of plastics in the 50's.
The issues that must be considered for employing the use of "green" materials and manufacturing processes are much more complex than simply switching from "petrol-based" materials to natural fibers (popular organic fibers such as paper, pulp and other bio-mass). One must consider the elemental source, harvesting or mining of the source materials, transportation of the raw materials, conversion of raw materials to useful status, the manufacturing process, energy consumption for conversion and manufacturing and waste products from all the aforementioned processes including contaminating the air and precious few water reserves we have left on the planet.
If independence from oil is the politically charged and underlying impetus for their change in materials direction, then one must also consider that most all personal care and household cleaning products (detergents, hair and body shampoos, oral care products, skin creams etc.) contain petroleum derivatives... a wholesale change to reduce our dependence on petroleum would take an act of God in our modern society! The organic foods and personal care products industry is making headway, but still only represents a small percentage of total volume of products on the market.
I hope and pray that Thomas Nelson thoroughly researches all materials / options and takes into consideration the TOTAL impact on our eco-system that (as stated in the article) is our responsibility as stewards of this earth to maintain!
Mr. Mark A. Bendit
Principal and Chief Designer
imagineering-web.com
I hope they will be as durable. I have not had much luck with recycled paper products.