Take only pictures and leave only footprints. Any of us who have wandered into nature have probably heard that mantra. Carbon footprint is the measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) released into the atmosphere that have arisen through the manufacture and distribution of a product or service.
Consider these facts regarding paper’s carbon footprint:
The Pulp and Paper Industry largely utilizes renewable energy sources that are considered carbon neutral to generate steam.1
Sustainably managed forests are virtually carbon neutral.1
Paper’s primary raw materials are renewable.
The paper and forest products industry replenishes more than it takes and ensures the sustainability of our forests by planting 1.7 million trees every single day, more than three times what is harvested.2
The U.S. Dept of Energy has stated that the carbon sequestered on forested lands in 2006 was greater than the carbon released from harvesting wood over the same period.
20% less CO2 is used per year by a person reading a daily printed newspaper versus a person reading web-based news for 30 minutes a day.3
The same amount of CO2 is used per year by all mail delivered to an average household in a year versus a coffee maker being on for one hour per day for one year.4
Knowledge is power. Our goal is simply to educate, so we can all make the best decisions possible while keeping things in perspective.
1Presentation from: Lewis Fix, Vice President Brand Management & Sustainable Product Development, Domtar; Paul England, Environmental and Sustainability Manager, HP Indigo North America; Laura Field, Media Manager, HP Indigo North America
2 Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program
3Swedish Royal Institute for Technology; Paper & the Environment, ATS Consulting 2007
4Life Cycle Inventory of the Mail; Greening the Mail Taskforce, 2008
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