Lake County forest preserves go green in newsletter

Fall color for the Lake County Forest Preserve District this year will apply to more than changing foliage.

The district's Horizons newsletter -- redesigned to a magazine format and heavy on full-color photos and information patrons say they want -- will be printed on 100-percent recycled paper, certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council, an international organization.

In approving a new printing contract, commissioners this week also opted for an ultraviolet process, which essentially dries the ink as it hits the paper, eliminating emissions.

The new look is more expensive but is intended to send an environmental message, as Horizons becomes the last of the district's publications to go green.

"Horizons is our primary vehicle for communicating with the public, so it's especially important to show that environmental leadership in a publication like that," said Andy Kimmel, deputy executive director.

As with many green initiatives, there will be an added cost. The eight-issue contract with Lake County Press of Waukegan is for more than $219,000 -- about $7,000 more per issue.

The contract covers 400,000 copies. It does not include printing for an annual mailing to new residents, which varies each year.

Less-expensive alternatives discussed at the committee level could have decreased the recycled content to only 30 percent or forgone the ultraviolet printing. But the recommendation to the full board was for the greenest alternative.

In conventional printing, the drying process involves the evaporation of solvent-based inks. In the ultraviolet process, a special ink is bonded into a solid using ultraviolet light without the release of vapors.

The result is a low environmental impact. An added advantage, according to district staff, is a much higher resolution and sharper color.

Going that route cost nearly $23,000 more than the conventional process.

"I think that's chump change compared to the message we send," said Commissioner Steve Carlson.

The contract was approved Tuesday 15-3.

Commissioner Brent Paxton says he is not anti-environment but wants to be fiscally responsible as well. He said the full board was not given the choice of a less expensive green option and voted against the measure.

"I just think we need to watch things a little bit closer," he said.