Harry Potter 7: "The Most Greenwashed Book of All Time"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 07.19.07
Everyone is gaga over HP7 being "the greenest book of all time" and showing the silly graphic showing the "impact reduction" of its publishing worldwide. We knew that Raincoast Books in Canada has published its version in ancient forest free 100% recycled paper, but they did that for HP6 and all of their books, nothing new there. We know also that the author asked that all of her publishers use 100% recycled content.
Yet the biggest publisher of them all, Scholastic, serving the American market, refused. TreeHugger emeritus Hank Green notes that "only 65% of the pulp used in HP7 (American edition) is certified ancient-forest friendly." So 130,000 trees have been saved but how many have been chopped because of Scholastic's intransigence?
That 35% of a doorstop the size and print run of the American Harry Potter probably represents more trees lost than any other book published in the States this year. Hank says "Scholastic is being fairly backward and profit-driven here. How much cash do they really need to haul here. Honestly, they could pass the cost onto the consumer and absolutely no one would mind."
It is surprising that smart American green websites would fall for this international averaging out of Scholastic's boreal clearcut. ::Eco-Geek
UPDATE: A commenter accuses me of being negative again: "Can't we just be happy with the efforts they did make, not the efforts they didn't?" No, not when they are calling it "the greenest book of all time" which it clearly is not. We applaud them for their efforts, not their public relations.
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An unfortunate hallmark of us sustainability people is that we are snipers, picking off people trying to do the right thing and Monday-morning quarterbacking stuff like this book all to hell. Can't we just be happy with the efforts they did make, not the efforts they didn't? Does any of the sharpshooting in this article somehow detract from this books redeeming qualities?
LA: you are right, they deserve some credit. I will add it.
I'm sure there is broad agreement that "greenwashing" carries a negative perception amongst TH readers. We perceive greenwashing to be trumpeting change without actually doing anything different, or at least very little different.
But honestly, what can we expect from voluntary efforts by for profit corporations? There are some corporations whose brand identity is closely tied with ethical values, or green values. Brands like Scholastic have none of that, and view this as a simple matter: how do we maximize profits? I'm sure that they calculated 65% recycled plus a big media blitz would maximize profits and help their image. I expect a company to do something like that, indeed it would be strange if a corporation did not greenwash itself.
Corporations cannot be expected to behave ethically or green-ly when left to their own devices. Even those that do so now will likely some day do differently pushed by the drive to increase share prices and profits. Only government regulations that either a) directly force corporations to change, or b) actually price ecosystem services into the markets, are capable of long-term true greening.
This doesn't even come close to the greenest book of all time. Right now that award would, I my opinion go to "Cradle to Cradle" by William McDonough & Michael Braungart. It's a book that isn't printed on paper but a polymer, meaning no trees were cut down for it;s production at any point. If you ever get the chance to read it I would recommend it strongly.
I think you should really focus on how this weekend will be one of the least television and video game encroached that we will see in a long time after this book is read by the hordes of kids that would otherwise be utilizing an electricity gulping entertainment source. The quiet homes of readers will be reveling in their energy conserving, seriously low impact (this book will probably be around long after their Nintendo handhelds are poisoning a landfill) activity.
Honestly if you have an axe to grind, reading a book printed on anything but vellum and coal should be the least of your worries.
But thank you for letting us know which company is printing on recycled, now we can buy it in Canada...or wag a finger at Scholastic...
Booksellers, because of competition generated by pre-orders, have been using HP7 basically as a loss leader, discounting it up to 40% and taking pennies of profit at most. I assume Scholastic, and Rowling, are grabbing a lot of the profit.
We must also remember that Harry Potter books are often keepers, as opposed to the latest pulp from Danielle Steel. THAT's the stuff that should have the renewable profile. Perhaps a drop-off box where you put in your old copy of Hollywood Wives and get out a fresh copy of Hollywood Husbands!
Just wanted to point out that the deluxe edition is 100% recycled paper. Of course it does cost twice as much. Still the price is worth it to make the point if scholastic even notices.
If someone with as much clout as Rowling can't get her book published with 100% recycled paper, what chance does the ordinary author have?