Paper Sourcing Guidelines & Sustainability Practices

We only have one Earth, and Lightning Source takes measures to treat it well.

The purpose of print-on-demand book manufacturing, is to reduce our environmental impact. Traditional offset printing usually requires large orders in anticipation of sales. Often, any books that go unsold are destroyed. This results in wasted paper, wasted energy, added greenhouse emissions, pulping, and landfill overflows.

At Lightning Source, books are printed in ultra-short runs or only when an order has been received. This print on demand model of book manufacturing reduces supply chain waste, greenhouse emissions, and conserves valuable natural resources.

Lightning Source expects each of its paper suppliers to be environmentally responsible as well, and not use papers sourced from endangered old growth forests, forests of exceptional conservation value, or the Amazon Basin.

We share this world. We are glad to do our part in keeping it sustainable.

UK Environmental Policy

Lightning Source UK Ltd is committed to improving environmental performance by driving down CO2 emissions and reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

Lightning Source UK Ltd recognizes that what we do today, affects the environment of both current and future generations and we are therefore committed to continuous environmental improvement. Our policy is to manage our businesses in such a manner as to have minimum impact on the environment in which we operate.

IngramSpark is an entity of Lightning Source.