Don’t Use Paper and KILL A TREE (not save it!)

This seems very counterintuitive based on all we hear in the media. If you want to “save the environment” you are begged to not print out that email, right?

WRONG!

In this country, there are very few more “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” products than paper. Paper is made from a renewable resource and is fully recyclable. Paper manufacturers use renewable energy sources. Paper manufacturers carefully manage their raw materials, trees and forests, and are committed to sustainable forestry. Continuously replanting and regrowing forests, like the paper industry, does help the environment.

Paper is inexpensive, user friendly and rarely has a virus!

However, if people decide en masse to NOT use and buy paper, then paper manufacturers will stop making paper, stop regrowing forests, stop maintaining forests, and there will be a net loss of trees. In fact, statistics show that the paper manufacturing industry outpaces tree growth by 34%. Today in the US, we have 360% MORE trees than we did in 1920!

All of those good things will disappear if we as consumers STOP or CURTAIL our use of paper.

So go ahead, print out that email, order those paper brochures, buy an actual newspaper and book.

AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT!

For more information, see Down to Earth, a publication by International Paper.