Columbia Print Partners with PrintReleaf to Turn Printed Pages into Reforested Trees

Columbia Print partners with PrintReleaf, the leading provider of sustainability solutions for the printing and packaging industries, to offset its paper consumption via reforestation at certified sites. Since signing on in December 2023, Columbia Print has planted 1,791 trees.

January 23, 2025

In 2024, every Columbia Print order contributed to the planting of trees. Each job’s biomass was measured and reverse calculated so that the equivalent number of trees harvested for that paper could be replanted. All this at no additional cost to customers!

PrintReleaf provides a dynamic profile that displays Columbia Print’s paper consumption in pounds alongside the number of standard trees reforested. 

Columbia Print’s operations are low impact even by industry standards, using 100% recycled paper for stationery, business cards and all black-and-white print jobs. They also use 30% recycled paper for color print jobs, as well as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper products. The partnership with PrintReleaf only strengthens the Print team’s environmental impact efforts.  

“Columbia Print is proud to partner with PrintReleaf as part of our unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Matt Dougherty, Director for Columbia Print. “Recognizing the shared dedication of our campus community to sustainability, we take great pride in announcing that our collaboration has directly supported global reforestation efforts, fostering a tangible and lasting impact on our planet.” 

The specific reforestation project to which Columbia Print primarily contributes is in Northern California, across multiple zones in the region. The primary purpose is wildfire restoration, focusing on planting trees native to the area in pre-fire conditions. 

“PrintReleaf is proud to partner with Columbia Print to provide our verified reforestation service,” said Jordan Darragh, PrintReleaf founder and CEO. “Our goal is to help our customers strengthen their commitment to sustainability and it is clear that Columbia Print is making a significant positive effort through their partnership with PrintReleaf and additional environmental initiatives.” 

Columbia Print is committed to reducing its environmental impact and supporting the University’s sustainability goals through its daily operations. In addition to PrintReleaf, Columbia Print’s sustainability initiatives include using recycled paper and transporting products with hybrid or electric vehicles. Columbia Print also partners with Ricoh for its copier program to save paper, reduce energy consumption, and keep reusable materials out of landfills by recycling ink and toner cartridges.  

To learn more about PrintReleaf, visit printreleaf.com. For more on Columbia University’s sustainability initiatives, visit the Sustainable Columbia website.