A foreign exchange student in the Middle East writes her aunt, "The journal you gave me when we were in California is the most amazing thing. I finished it a while ago, and it feels like my whole life is written in this Boku journal."

Founded in 2001 by long-time printers and partners, Marian O'Brien and Keith Whitaker of the West Coast Print Center, Boku Books combine exquisite design with the everyday functionality of a notebook or journal.

In a world where deforestation for paper-making is a bigger and bigger problem, Boku Books are made from kenaf fiber. A member of the hibiscus family, kenaf grows quickly and makes an excellent acid-free archival paper. This "clearcut alternative" gives people a way to enjoy beautiful non-tree paper blank books.

O'Brien and Whitaker's firm commitment to the environment has been the backbone of their business life. As printers well aware of the chemical hazards involved in printing, they kept as green a shop as possible for sixteen years with a special focus on paper. The Print Center was continuously vigilant in their use of the least toxic pressroom chemicals and inks.

Whitaker notes that the idea of making Boku Books developed during book production.

"The leftover paper from the trim of books, many of which were destined for museums and library collections all over the world, was too nice not to use." He began to use the offcuts to create little blank books.

Perfectly sized to fit in pockets, purses, wallets, and visors, the Boku Books have proved to be a great replacement for those random scraps of paper we've all used for spur of the moment notes. They have been used for wine diaries, movie and book logs, notebooks for children to chronicle the progress of their gardening, flip books, waiters take orders in them, a place for a woman to keep her mother's vital signs while advocating for her in the hospital. Bokus are great for listing computer passwords and dashing off short notes.

A group of Oakland School for the Arts students used the Boku Books and Journals to raise funds for a student exchange trip to Quebec. Berkeley High students are using them to raise funds for a spring trip to the Galapagos. River of Words, environmental literature and art project for youth, is selling them to raise funds for its children's international art gallery.

Owen Lammers, now the executive director of Living Rivers, had been using recycled paper in International Rivers Network's publications, when he introduced O'Brien and Whitaker to kenaf. It requires a growing season of about five months, and has excellent harvesting yields of 6-10 tons of dry fiber per acre, which is 3-5 times more fiber per acre than produced from fast growing trees. There are virtually no pesticides used, and minimal fertilizers. Kenaf offers a successful alternative to farmers for crop diversification, and provides continuing support for the independence of America's small farms.

Kenaf's cost has been steadily decreasing over the years until now a sheet that combines kenaf with recycled paper is comparable in cost to other premium commercial papers. The increasing accessibility of kenaf paper demonstrates that as the demand for environmentally conscientious products grows, they can be priced quite affordably.

Tom Rymsza, President of Vision Paper, the Albuquerque, New Mexico manufacturer of the paper, notes that the economy of scale leads to more allocation of crop space, a greater willingness of farmers to rotate the kenaf crop in, the improved availability of pulp mill and papermaking resources and eventually lower pricing. O'Brien says, "Tom thanked us for our use of the paper, and made a serious impression on us, that we, even at our initial volume usage, were making a significant environmental statement." With increased demand, Vision Paper will build the most ecologically sensitive pulping mill in the country. The mill will be kenaf-based and chlorine-free, producing the pulp with the mildest chemistry and lowest energy and water usage possible.

O'Brien says, "When we've made printed books we are involved in the process with the authors and artists, helping to present their vision.

As a result, we've felt that our books have a spirit to them that doesn't occur when a book rolls off the usual production line. It's more than the materials and content, it's an intention that goes into them.

We have wanted this to translate into large scale manufacturing with Boku, and it has been an interesting uphill struggle to work in the production systems that we know so well, and insist that the system get pushed to the limits of its capability in terms of process. Boku Books have been "engineered" to be user-friendly as well as sturdy. In addition, we intend to make something special that will encourage the owners' creativity and will allow them the space to make their own mark, while having a positive impact on the earth. It's organic and holistic, taking into account aesthetics, materials, construction, and intention."

O'Brien adds, "The way we have done business is that the bottom line is important, of course, but not at the expense of environmental concerns. It's possible to be more efficient in production and packaging and use effective green practices and materials and still be profitable.

There simply has to be an active realization that the bottom line might not look the same as in traditional business. We have made a conscious decision to be less conventionally profitable and more ecologically responsible. We feel that this is what businesses should do. There has to be accountability exercised in every level of manufacturing to conserve natural resources."

"We believe business can contribute to a change for the better in our culture by making an initial choice or policy change that may seem impractical, or unprofitable, in the conventional sense. This commitment," says Whitaker, "eventually reduces its own impracticality and makes it easier for others to make the same choice. If businesses keep pushing on these frontiers and making these choices, the result is constant, positive change."

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