There was an article in the Costco Connection (a magazine for Costco members) that caught my attention. "Paper Goes Full Circle."
It tells how the paper industry is going green in response to the impacts of climate change.
It speaks of how Sustana (previously Rolland Paper which was bought in 2014) supplies recycled paper, processing 998,000 kg of recycled paper every day, and how this 1,100 tons per day (let me repeat that: 1,100 tons per day) goes on to become our tissue, writing and printing paper, food packaging products, and books, and the list can go on and on. You get the idea.
This translates into an astounding impact on our environment - the saving of 4 million trees every single year. It is truly remarkable to consider that this significant number represents just one paper mill or recycling fiber-based product manufacturer. Now, let's delve deeper into this statistic. When we broaden our perspective to include the entire paper mill industry, the magnitude of the positive effect becomes even more apparent. The collective efforts of all paper mills in saving trees and promoting sustainability are indeed commendable. This figure serves as a testament to the power of conscious choices and eco-friendly practices in preserving our natural resources. The ripple effect of such environmentally responsible actions extends far beyond the numbers, inspiring a shift towards a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Imagine a world where the concept of paper becomes obsolete, where every document, note, and record exists solely in digital form. The idea of transitioning to a completely paperless society is indeed intriguing and environmentally friendly. It sparks the question: How many trees could we potentially save if we embraced this radical change? - and so goes the argument.
While the notion of going paperless sounds like a significant step towards conservation, the reality is far from it. What if we truly became a paperless society - how many trees could then be saved?!
Well, not as many as you might think.
The paper mill industry does not practice clear-cutting forestry. What they practice is Sustainable Forest Management. It's like a farmer and his crops. There is a significant difference. For every 3 tree harvested by the paper mill industry, 4 trees are planted. That's a growth of over 33% (at least on paper - no pun intended).
There has been no significant decrease in the overall US forested land (nearly 750 million acres) over the past 100 years. The annual growth of forests is actually 36% higher. More trees are planted each year than are removed.
So, to answer the argument of, how many trees we would save if we were to outright do away with paper all together - the answer would be a loss of at least 33% (if not more).
And none of this touches upon the environmental costs and damage of the manufacturing and disposal and toxicity of our various and numerous electronical devices' lithium batteries. But let's leave that for another conversation for now.
Now, this isn't the first time I've banged on about this. You can read more on our Sustainable Publishing page. But I wanted to take this in a slightly different direction.
How many companies, bills, utility bill company, banks, bank statements, credit card statements, cell phone companies, etc. has 'gone paperless'? How many times have you been told that they are doing so for ecological reasons or because they are 'going green'? The truth of the matter simply isn't. Your utility companies, banks, credit card companies, cell phone and internet companies simply was to eliminate their paper expense (and to no benefit to you), and worse, under the disguise of combatting climate change. And worst still, ultimately at the expense of the loss of our forests, and in turn, our planet's ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. (Because, believe you me, these companies are NOT planting trees and forests).
These are some popular facts or quotes - half-truths really.
The Ecology Global Research Network says,
"Globally, approximately 3-4 billion trees are cut down each year to make paper. In North America, approximately 1 billion trees are cut down to manufacture paper and packaging."
Taking their numbers at face-value, if 1 billion trees are cut down to manufacture paper, then 1.33 billion trees are planted. (That's an additional 333 million trees in North American only).
The World Atlas 2018 says,
"It takes 24 trees to make 1 ton of standard office paper."
Or, inversely, 1 ton of paper creates 8 trees.
A little food for thought. Somethings to think about.
Bringing it back to publishing and Broken Keys Publishing & Press - Don't be afraid to buy a book (yes, a real physical paper book!) and your local bookstore, and enjoy it. Enjoy it even more knowing you are literally breathing oxygen into our atmosphere.
Want to combat climate change?
Learn the difference between the myths and propaganda of paper.
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