“How environmentally green is the newspaper?” was a valid question asked of me earlier this week.
Newspapers have changed over time. As an industry, we have become greener.
When I first started in the industry, newspapers relied on lead. The words were printed on lead slugs; the pictures were created in lead. Once the paper was printed, the lead was melted down and the ink and dust that had accumulated on the lead was burned away.
It was a dirty process. Lead fumes probably went up the chimney.