Safety Signals now 100% Digital!
New format is more economical to produce, more flexible and decidedly more environmentally friendly.
“We made the decision to shift our newsletter to on-line publication for two main reasons, both of them green,” says Jill Blackwelder Parker, Associate Vice Chancellor, Safety Services; “One motive was to support the University’s Sustainability goals, and the other was to economize on expenses. We considered everything carefully and the answer was clear -- time to go digital.”
The process of migrating to on-line only distribution will begin by publishing a PDF newsletter file for now while a truly interactive version is developed. Future issues will feature real-time interactive
capability and active links that provide in-depth information. UC Davis employees will have the convenience of accessing
the on-line newsletter from their desktops or from home.
The Safety Signals newsletter was launched in Spring of 2007
with a mission to help faculty, staff and research professionals make good decisions about health, safety and security. The tabloid format was popular and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. "Printed publications do have value," says Jill, "But we weighed the benefits against the advantages of on-line only publication, such as reducing greenhouse gases from production and transportation as well as cutting down on resource use and waste streams."
Though the paper used for Safety Signals issues was recycled and recyclable, the process of printing, transportation and distribution of the publication had a net climate change effect. The need to economize in response to recent budget cuts added weight to the decision to suspend printing.
Past Safety Signals issues are located at safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/news/newsletters, and our viewer feedback of all kinds is strongly encouraged. "Our goal is to engage and inform our campus population in the effort to stay healthy and safe," says Jill; "We are confident our new newsletter format will help make this goal a reality."