For more than 140 years, the monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Ferdinand, Ind., have operated an on-site printing facility. Originally designed for in-house needs, it wasn’t long before Abbey Press was rolling out custom orders in support of the monastery.
In March 2010, the press earned certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, an organization with standards representing the utmost in earth-friendliness and social responsibility. FSC’s approach considers all aspects of the manufacturing process — timber growth, harvest, and transportation; paper milling and storage; printing methods; and the ethical treatment of the people involved. “Going green is not something new or faddish for the archabbey,” says Abbey Press general manager John Wilson. “The archabbey always has had a concern for the local environment.”
Archabbot Justin says, “We are committed to the area as well as the people and resources of the area.” The archabbey funds the operation and construction of green power projects — solar, wind, and hydro — by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates from 3Degrees, a San Francisco-based, energy-related company. This buy not only offsets the full amount of the archabbey’s electrical use, it lessens the overall need for fossil-fuel-generated electricity and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
To further their cause, the press recently launched Snail’s Pace, an eco-friendly line of products conceptualized by Wilson, with a nature-design slant. All are produced on FSC-certified recycled papers with soy-based inks, and most are printed locally at the archabbey. The collection features greeting cards, gift-wrap, calendars, notebooks, and paper goods such as recipe cards, scrapbook pages, and stationery.
The original and adaptive artwork of Dubois County native and illustrator Ashley Verkamp and the photography by Liliane Géraud of Switzerland make Abbey Press’ Snail’s Pace a marketable stationary — even in an increasingly paperless world. Still, the tech-savvy monks know the power of the Internet. They have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a website, and YouTube videos. More ways to go green.
