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Reports on the concerns of book publishers over the rising cost of paper in the United States. Effects to book prices; Percentage gains in 1994; Average cost of paper; Trends in the pricing of paperback books; Simon & Schuster Consumer Group's efforts to manage book-making costs; HarperCollins' use of lighter paper grades in book-making. INSETS: Business cycle swings to paper companies' side, by J.M.;Kenaf: A paper alternative to ponder, by Lisa See..

The article discusses the impact of rising costs and supply shortages of paper on publishers in the U.S. Topics covered include increase in price of paper per ton, according to a report by printer Quad Graphics, factors contributing to the reduction in paper supply such as shutdown of some Canadian paper mills and reduced imports from China, factors driving up paper prices, and the need for U.S. publishers to look for alternative sources of paper.

Reports on the effect of paper supply shortage on the book publishing business in Asia. Dependence from exports by most countries; Impact of fall of the United States dollar; Price increases planned by paper suppliers.

The article reports on the increase in paper prices in the U.S. in January 2006. Paper prices rose an average of about 5% in January, and another 5% increase is set for April. While paper demand has risen slightly, the most important reason for the ability of paper companies to increase prices has to do with a sharp drop in supply. Several printers expressed concern that if paper and production costs in general became too high, smaller publishers will decide not to publish marginal books.

Reports on the possible rise of pulp and paper prices as gleaned from the American Forest and Paper Association's convention of the 1995 Paper Week held in New York City on March 13-15. International Paper's unveiling of a new papermaking machine.

Discusses Colombia's environmental triumph of creating paper from sugar cane waste, instead of destroying trees. The sugar-cane-based paper come primarily from plants near Cali--in the midst of Colombia's sugar fields. American firms, W.R. Grace & Co. and International Paper; Background on developing paper products from sugar cane; The percentages of tree fiber needed for paper production; Propal as the second largest paper plant in the world; More.

Discusses the impact of increasing book paper prices on the book publishing industry in the United States. Reports from Rob Gallen, editor of the `Pulp & Paper Week' periodical; Elasticity of demand for book paper; Views from industry officials. INSET: The year of merging hopefully..

Focuses on the commitment of publishers to use more recycled paper to publish books and decrease the use of paper produced from old-growth forests as of March 2003. Publishers involved in the initiative; Paper used by the book publishing industry each year.

This article looks at results of the "Environmental Trends and Climate Impacts: Findings From the U.S. Book Industry" survey. According to the study, the cutting of trees accounts for nearly 63% of the industry's carbon footprint, while paper production and printing accounts for 26.6%. In all, it is estimated that the industry produced a carbon dioxide equivalent net emission of about 12.4 million tons in 2006, and a net emission of 8.85 pounds per book sold to consumers.

Reports on the pressure in book prices due to the increase in paper and printing costs in the U.S. in March 2005. Price increase in backlist titles, according to Jack Romanos, CEO of Simon & Schuster; Expectations of manufacturers and publishers on the state of the industry; Percentage increase in volume posted by printer Quebecor in the last quarter of 2004.

The article discusses how poet Elizabeth Alexander composed the poem "Praise Song for the Day" for U.S. President Barack Obama. After being assigned to write a poem for him, Alexander relates that she would keep track of things and scraps of paper and had 350 pages of drafts before the final one. The poem is about people from all levels of the society and the struggle Obama went through before his victory. It will be published in "Crave Radiance: New and Selected Poems, 1990-2010."

The article reveals that soaring costs of paper and energy are forcing publishers to reexamine ways to keep costs from spiraling out of control. Simon & Schuster (S&S) chief executive officer (CEO) Carolyn Reidy said the escalating prices have made S&S take a fresh look at the way they do business. One large publisher that had a $2-million increase in freight surcharges last year said costs are already running 10% over 2008. Penguin Book Group USA CEO David Shanks believes that the different cost pressures eventually will lead to higher prices.

The article reports on the sale by Sterling of eco-friendly writing journals through Barnes & Noble (B&N). Sterling publisher Marcus Leaver had noticed B&N reports that ancillary items were selling strongly. Working with former Starbucks merchandise director Phlip Clark, Leaver developed a line of journals in a range of colors and sizes. Called Ecosystem, the journals are made from 100% postconsumer recycled paper.

The article offers a look at strategies that can help reduce the environmental impact of the publishing sector. Each ton of postconsumer recycled freesheet that replaces a ton of virgin fiber saves 24 trees and reduces greenhouse gas emission by 37%. Another option is to reduce trim size, and evaluate the weight of the paper being used for each project to see if a lighter-weight paper would be suitable. It is best to print with vegetable-based inks that contain less than 5% volatile organic compounds (VOC).

The author offers her opinion on the economic benefits of recycling for the publishing industry. Publishing is a resource- and energy-intensive business. Every dollar spent unnecessarily on energy is a dollar wasted. Therefore, while going to recycled paper is an essential first step toward mitigating our industry's environmental impact, real change will come only when book sales become nonreturnable.