Well, sort of.

As I heard on Gristmill’s podcast yesterday, Scholastic will print all 12 million first-edition U.S. copies of J. K. Rowling’s wildly anticipated book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, on paper that contains 30% minimum post-consumer waste fiber. Scholastic is also claiming that:

Moreover, 65% of the 16,700 tons of paper used in the U.S. first printing will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the global standard-setter for responsible forest management. This historic commitment is the largest purchase of FSC certified paper to be used in the printing of a single book title. The vast amount of paper needed to print 12 million copies of the 784-page Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows makes the decision by Scholastic to invest in environmentally preferable paper a significant step in the company’s ongoing commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.

The podcast also mentioned that the Deluxe edition of the book will be printed on 100% post-consumer waste fiber, though I haven’t found a source to confirm this. If it is, I would probably have no problems shelling out the $40 for the Deluxe edition, if it means supporting sustainable practices. Though I realize no-waste is best, I do enjoy sitting down with a good book in my hands.

Filed by Maria in books, environment