Conformity Magazine - October 2008 - (Page 6)

Editor’s Note Doing Our Part for the Environment As the only monthly printed publication dealing with regulatory issues affecting the electronics industry, Conformity occupies a unique vantage point from which to view the regulatory march toward environmental responsibility and sustainability in the production and use of electrical and electronic products. In these pages month after month, we provide our readers with information on the breadth of environmental regulations that directly impact the design, production and end-of-life management of everything from computers and medical devices to consumer electronics and even toys. And, from the United States to the European Union to China, Korea and other countries, the level of regulatory activity in this area makes clear that the electronics industry will play a key role in the movement toward a more responsible stewardship of our environment, and the efforts to conserve our non-renewable natural resources. But as publishers of a magazine, we also have a unique role to play in reducing the impact that Conformity has on the environment. So, I’d like to tell you about the steps that we’ve recently taken to minimize our own impact on the environment, and to enlist your help in determining further actions that we can all take in the future. For more than two years now, the print edition of Conformity has utilized environmentally friendly soy-based ink. Since their first use in printing in the late 1980s, soy inks are now used in more than 95% of our country’s daily newspapers, and are quickly finding their way into magazine printing as well. Not only are soy inks a safe, sustainable and renewable resource, but they are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reducing the toxic off-gassing that comes from the use of petroleum-based inks. And, since soy inks are more easily stripped from paper during the recycling process, they create less damage to paper fibers, making recycled paper suitable for a wider range of uses. And, speaking of recycled paper, beginning with the issue that you hold in your hand, Conformity is now being printed on recycled paper comprised of 80% post-consumer waste (PCW). In addition, the paper we are now using has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC certification means that the remaining virgin wood fiber used in our paper comes from sustainable foresting activities. (Full disclosure: Bureau Veritas, the corporate parent of Conformity, is an FSC-accredited certifier.) Conformity oCtober 2008 © Admphotography | Dreamstime.com As we take these steps to produce a more environmentallyfriendly print version of Conformity, we remain pioneers in bringing our readers up-to-the-minute regulatory compliance information through non-print means. A prime example of this effort is the Digital Edition of Conformity. Launched in 2006, we now have more than 3,600 subscribers who have specifically requested to receive the magazine electronically. Then, there is our bi-weekly Conformity e-NewsBreaks e-mail newsletter, which keeps our readers current between our regular monthly publication schedule. And, of course, our web site, Conformity.com, remains a key portal for information on the ever-changing activities in the world of regulatory compliance. In the year to come, we’ll begin looking at the efforts of companies in our industry to minimize their environmental impact and to increase their reliance on sustainable resources. By sharing with our readers the experience of others, we hope to leverage the knowledge of those efforts already underway, and to build an even stronger foundation for future efforts. You can help by sending us stories of initiatives at your company (successful or not) to improve the environment. At the same time, we’ll continue to evaluate our own business, with the goal of finding further ways to be a more environmentally-responsible publisher. You can help here by sending us your ideas and suggestions on where we should focus our efforts, and what steps you would like to see us take. Of course, our efforts by themselves will not ensure the future health of our planet. But, wisdom teaches us that the longest journey begins with a single step. And from these first small steps, we can make our own contribution to this important effort. We hope that you’ll join us! Bill von Achen Managing Editor http://www.Dreamstime.com http://www.Conformity.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity Magazine - October 2008

Conformity Magazine - October 2008 Contents Editor's Note FCC Releases Annual Report on National Do-Not-Call Registry Commission Cracks Down (for the Fourth Time!) On Junk Fax Marketer FCC Releases Quarterly Reports on Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Greenpeace Ranks Electronics Manufacturers Standards List For The EU’s Energy Consumption Directive Published EU Commission Publishes Standards List for Directives on Pressure Equipment, Pressure Vessels Standards List for the EU’s Medical Devices Directive Available The IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society: The First Five Years ESD Open Forum Improving Election Security and Accuracy: The Future of Voting System Certification Conformity Assessment and Accreditation: Their Role in the Global Market Design Issues in Extreme EMC Environment Focus On... Test Equipment Buyers Guide Product News Updated Standards List for EU Directive on Active Implantable Medical Devices FDA Warns of Effects from CT Scans on Electronic Medical Devices FDA Provides Report Card on Its PMA Review Process CPSC Releases Import Safety Strategy Other CPSC Actions in the News IEC Standards Update Product Reviews UL Standards Update Telcordia Standards Update From Our “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - October 2008

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