Financial Post: “J.K. Rowling Wins The Order of the Forest Award”

by · October 23, 2007

Drew Hasselback | Financial Post | October 23, 2007

It may have looked white to you, but your copy of Harry Potter was printed on “green” paper.

J.K. Rowling, author of the blockbuster children’s series, was recognized in Toronto on Tuesday for demanding that 16 publishers around the world print her books using so-called “eco-friendly” papers.

Fraser Papers said on Oct. 12 that it has supplied the U.S. publisher of the book, Scholastic, with stock that contained 30% recycled content and with pulp that had been certified as environmentally correct by the Forest Stewardship Council.

A Canadian organization called Markets Initiative presented Ms. Rowling with The Order of the Forest, an award that recognizes her support for environmental causes.

“J.K. Rowling asked her international publishers to find paper that was free of ancient or endangered forests,” explained Nicole Rycroft, executive director of Vancouver-based Markets Initiative.

According to Markets Initiative, the use of eco-friendly papers in Harry Potter books has saved 197,685 trees from the axe.