Green Is as Green Does
When the editors of Pro AV decided to devote much of this issue to green, sustainable AV products and practices, it didn’t take long to realize we had a problem on our hands. If we were going to encourage our readers to get behind a growing movement to create sustainable businesses and resource-efficient AV designs, we had to be as green as possible.
Brad Grimes
When the editors of Pro AV decided to devote much of this issue to green, sustainable AV products and practices, it didn’t take long to realize we had a problem on our hands. We always loved the big, tabloid-size paper on which we’d printed our magazine for years. But if we were going to encourage our readers to get behind a growing movement to create sustainable businesses and resource-efficient AV designs (see “The Movement Builds”), we had to be as green as possible ourselves. You know, walk the walk and practice what we preach.
As a result, you’re holding in your hands one of the most tangible things Pro AV could do for the environment. We’ve re-engineered the magazine so that it significantly reduces our carbon footprint and, to a lesser extent, yours.
We’re still giving you everything you’ve come to expect from Pro AV, plus something brand-new: a bi-monthly column devoted to green AV written by Midori Connolly, who founded what is often considered the first sustainable AV staging company in the country. (You’ll be able to meet her at InfoComm ’09. Click here for an event schedule.)
But it’s what we won’t give you by adopting this new format that we’re most proud of. By using less paper to publish the same news, information, and advice, Pro AV won’t generate 144,221 pounds of carbon-dioxide, 51,776 pounds of solid waste, and 337,687 gallons of waste water annually. The improved magazine will save 336 trees each year, and 721 million BTUs worth of energy. It’s a big step in the right direction. We hope you agree.
Steps in the right direction are what it will take to build momentum for what’s loosely described as “green AV.” I say loosely because green AV means different things to different people–and all of them are right. It does mean developing energy-efficient products. It does mean technology applications that save resources, such as videoconferencing. It does mean looking for ways your company can offset its carbon footprint (see “5-Minute Interview”).
Let’s face it. Audiovisual systems consume energy–sometimes a lot. But clients aren’t going stop using AV. The products and services you provide help them run better organizations, and when it comes to entertainment, AV is simply part of the DNA. Still, expect more users to request what one client asked of Waveguide Consulting’s Scott Walker: the greenest solution possible. The AV industry is just beginning to figure out what’s possible, and it’s a lot.
Brad Grimes – Editor
e-mail: [email protected]
