Greendale tells the story, in spare, hypnotic music and images, of three generations of a family living on the Pacific coast. It’s the latest multimedia project from rock legend Neil Young, who has so far told this environmentally themed tale in a CD, concert tour, film, and now in book form.

Released in early 2004 to critical acclaim, the Greendale music CD introduced Young’s fans to the Green family, stubborn and iconoclastic, overcoming tragedy. The story culminates in the environmental activism of the youngest generation of Greens, and it’s the connection with nature that ultimately seems to embody the meaning of the characters’ lives.

Bringing Greendale to print
Making certain that print projects use environmentally responsible processes and materials is more important to authors, artists, and designers than ever. When the project itself has an environmental theme, the call to action is doubly important.

The print component of Greendale clearly demanded a treatment that could speak with authority on the environment. Designed by longtime Young collaborator Gary Burden of R. Twerk & Co. (he also did classic LP covers for Crosby, Stills, and Nash; The Doors; The Eagles; Richard Pryor; and others) and graced with drawings and paintings by James Mazzeo, also a longstanding collaborator, the book posed multiple challenges to the production team who would bring it to life.

Advocates for sustainability
Ensuring that the book would be produced in a sustainable manner began with Burden and fellow art director Jenice Heo. Their search for eco-friendly solutions led them to Gary Gonzales, project manager at Insync Media, a Southern California printing and digital imaging company with a long history of successful service to the entertainment, design, and advertising industries.

Burden was looking for the right paper and then some, Gonzales recalls. It helped that Insync is a “green” printer, using soy-based inks, with printing operations that exceed even Southern California’s strict environmental standards.

Paper plaudits
Still, paper selection was critical. Burden and Young wanted stock with a look and feel to match up with the well-worn character of the Greendale project, and it had to be recycled, Gonzales says. The paper also had to be economical and readily available. Those requirements led to Domtar, Inc., whose paper operations have an exemplary record in mill operations and forest management.

Insync paper manager Jason Dodds suggested Domtar’s Feltweave Recycled White, citing its finish, printability, availability, price, and 30-percent postconsumer content. Jennifer Shepherd, Domtar West Coast specification manager, and paper distributor Insource rep Jim Hicks pitched in. “They were looking for a paper with the feel of an old, well-used book,” Shepherd says. “And it’s uncommon to find a high percentage of recycled content in a felt finish.”

Green light
Burden and Heo presented Young with book samples in Feltweave. He agreed that the paper felt right for the project. But the deal hadn’t gone down yet. “The book had to be completed before the end of 2004, which put us on a very tight schedule,” Gonzales says. “And we needed a significant amount of paper—380,000 sheets.” Shepherd told Gonzales that not only would Domtar make the paper within the schedule’s parameters, it would be made in the optimal size for the planned book, minimizing waste.

Speed bumps
Gonzales describes the production of the book as uncommonly demanding. “With an uncoated paper and 100-percent coverage, we had to make sure we would have no scuffing, scratching, or offsetting. We were concerned we might have to use a varnish, which of course is petroleum-based.” Special hardtack, fast-drying soy inks were formulated in-house to minimize the threats. Tests on the paper indicated the job was doable without varnish, but great care in the pressroom would be necessary.

The design of the book also posed challenges. Each page, including 100-lb. cover stock for the softcover edition, is printed full-bleed on both sides with a four-color gradient to create an antique, sun-faded appearance. Maintaining consistency in these backgrounds was a hurdle; even minor fluctuations in tint values would be instantly visible.

Gonzales recalls with pride that he was present for all 46 press checks, which demanded undivided attention from Insync’s crew. Because there was considerable dry-back from the uncoated paper, the printer took densitometer readings of every page to ensure color consistency. Yet even with the technology, experienced eyes for color had to make the final determinations. Finishing touches included securing a special color of thread—brown instead of the usual white or black—for the book’s Smyth-sewn binding.

Drum roll
Throughout the process, Young stayed on top of the project. “He asked lots of questions. He honestly wanted to know,” Gonzales says. And the final outcome was most satisfying of all: “Neil personally told me he was extremely pleased. “You know, I want to applaud people like Neil Young who go out of their way to promote environmental sustainability. I wish more artists did that.”