Save a Forest: Print Your Emails

It's okay to use paper. Trees are renewable, recyclable and sustainable.



By CHUCK LEAVELL
AND CARLTON OWEN

Well-intentioned email taglines inspired by sincere desire to help the planet have become ubiquitous in recent times: "Please don't print this email," "Save trees: Print only when necessary," or "Please consider the environment before printing this email."

However, the World Wildlife Fund has taken this to the extreme with a new nonprintable electronic document. Patterned after the highly successful PDF (Portable Document Format) that has revolutionized electronic document sharing and storage, the WWF format takes the decision away from you.

This tact is sure to frustrate and increase inefficiency, leaving some saying, "Wait a minute, I really needed to print that document!" What many folks don't realize is that it also may indirectly hasten the conversion of forests to other uses like strip malls, parking lots and housing developments—because the nation's forest landowners can't keep growing trees without markets for this natural, organic and renewable product.

Chuck's email tagline reads: "Notice: It's OK to print this email. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of Americans. Working forests are good for the environment and provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage. Thanks to improved forest management, we have more trees in America today than we had 100 years ago."

Now, understand that we don't advocate wanton waste of paper or any other material, but avoiding the print option does absolutely nothing to save the planet or forests. More forests are dying of insect infestation and disease or being paved over across this country right now than could be converted to an email print-out in a thousand years.

Paper is good. Around 105 A.D., man discovered that paper traveled and transcribed better than stone; it became the renewable medium of choice. Frankly, the human eye can only stare at a computer screen for so long.

We appreciate and applaud people who are sensitive to environmental issues. We both love forests and are avid environmentalists. But we are going to continue to print out those necessary emails without guilt.

Honest, it's okay to print. Trees are renewable, recyclable and sustainable.

Mr. Leavell is a musician, tree farmer, environmentalist and author. Mr. Owen is a forester, wildlife biologist and CEO of U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.
Source WSJ

Which is Greener: Paper or Digital? The Answer May Surprise You - a ZDNet.com Blog

The DocuMentor Blog recently posted an interesting article on a subject we've been following closely:

Even though my brain is infused with a little too many toner particles, the Doc assumes that anything we can do to reduce paper consumption is good for the planet. But what about the significant impact of digital waste?

For a fascinating read, take a look at this interview with Don Carli, the Doc’s good friend and Executive Vice President of SustainCommWorld LLC and Senior Research Fellow with the Institute for Sustainable Communication. Here’s a few highlights from Don:

“Other than pushing the ‘cool’ factor, one of the main selling points being made by marketers of eReaders is that they are greener than print. It is little surprise that the common view held by consumers who don’t know the backstory is that going digital means going green and saving trees. Many are in for a rude awakening. When subjected to ‘cradle-to-cradle’ life cycle analysis, eReading is not nearly as green as many naively assume it is.”

“There is no question that print media could do a better job of managing the sustainability of its supply chains and waste streams, but it’s a misguided notion to assume that digital media is categorically greener. Computers, eReaders, and cell phones don’t grow on trees and their spiraling requirement for energy is unsustainable.”

“Making a computer typically requires the mining and refining of dozens of minerals and metals including gold, silver, and palladium as well as extensive use of plastics and hydrocarbon solvents. To function, digital devices require a constant flow of electrons that predominately come from the combustion of coal, and at the end of their all-too-short useful lives electronics have become the single largest stream of toxic waste created by man. Until recently, there was little, if any, voluntary disclosure of the lifecycle ‘backstory’ of digital media.”

“Sadly, print has come to be seen as a wasteful, inefficient and environmentally destructive medium, despite the fact that much of print media is based on comparatively benign and renewable materials. In addition, print has incredible potential to be a far more sustainable medium than it is today… and a truly digital medium as well. Despite its importance to business, government and society, print has been cast in the role of a dark old devil in decline. Digital media has been cast as the bright young savior on the rise.”

“Ironically the future of digital media and eBook readers is likely to be based on flexible polymer electronics manufactured using printing presses rather than silicon semiconductor fabrication technologies. In fact, the next generation of eReaders will most likely be digital AND be printed.”

There is a lot more from Don that the Doc guarantees will stimulate your neural economy.

Trees Are The Answer >> to Climate Change?

"As a natural, renewable resource, trees are the answer to many challenges facing our society today — most notably climate change.

Trees are one of the most efficient “solar-powered carbon collectors” that we have at our disposal. Every day, all day, during the active growing season (from May to August in mid west/north east) millions upon millions of trees of all sizes are busy taking carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere and storing it in their trunks, branches, leaves and roots. We call this sequestration, and it is highly effective.

So if trees are the answer, you might say, shouldn’t we stop using them to build houses or a dining room table, to make a sheet of paper, or for firewood? That’s the last thing we should do.

Four reasons come immediately to mind:

Trees are living things. When they die, they decompose, releasing the carbon they had stored back into the atmosphere. When a tree is converted into a house or a table or a ream of paper, the carbon remains sequestered for as long as that product remains in use. If the product is recycled then the carbon is re-stored in a new product.

Turning trees into products takes less energy than common substitutes such as cement or steel. That means less carbon gas is released to the atmosphere in the manufacturing process.

When a tree is used for fuel, such as firewood, we offset the use of fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) that would otherwise have to be burned. Burning wood does release carbon dioxide, but remember that the tree would decompose and release its stored carbon back to the atmosphere anyway; so the net carbon contribution is nil.

Most importantly, trees are a renewable resource. Once a tree is cut to meet society’s needs, another grows to take its place and immediately begins to sequester more carbon.

Can trees—and sustainable forest management practices– solve our climate change problems all on their own? Of course not. But they are a critically important part of the solution — and another reason I’m proud to be in the business of growing trees.

Footnote: “Trees are the answer” campaign is led by the Soceity of American Foresters. To learn more, please visit www.safnet.org

Are Pixels Greener than Paper?

"More and more people are communicating with electronic media. But are electronic devices the most effective environmental choice for getting information?

Ever decision to communicate has some impact on the environment. For example, whether we email or send a letter, we consumer energy and resources. There are environmental tradeoffs in every choice we make, and there is no simple 'right answer'. Effective stewardship requires a careful examination of the larger picture that compares the entire lifecylce, from raw materials to energy use and end of life, to fully understand the impact and performance of both electronic media and paper.

The facts may surprise you.

RAW MATERIALS: Are they Sustainable?
PAPER: on of the great things about paper is that its primary raw materials are renewable. The paper and forest products industry replenishes more than it takes and ensures the sustainability of our forest by planting 1.7 million trees every single day, more than three times what is harvested. And the U.S. Dept. of Energy has stated that the carbon sequestered on forest lands in 2006 was greater than the carbon released from harvesting wood over the same period.

ELECTRONICS: Making a computer typically requires the mining and refining of dozens of minerals and metals, including gold, silver and palladium, as well as the extensive use of plastics and hydrocarbon solvents. The life span of a computer is short, and electronics have become the fastest growing waste stream in the world.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION: Is it Effiecient?
PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY: OUr industry is on of the biggest users of renewable, low-carbon energy in the world. Sixty percent of the enrgy used to make paper in the U.S. comes form carbon-neutral renewable resources and is produced on site at mills. In addition, these facilities use combined heat and power (CHP) generation systems, which are 80-90% efficient. Fossil fuel use and purchased energy in this industry is steadily decreasing.

ELECTRONIC DATA CENTER SERVERS: Taking only the servers that power the Internet as comparison, the electronics industry uses more than 90% fossil fuels purchased off the grid, which are greenhouse gas emitting. The conventional power-generation systems used are only 45-50% efficient. And the consumption rate for data centers in the U.S. alone doubled from 2000-2006 and is set to double again by 2011.

END OF LIFE: How Does it Break Down?
PAPER: paper is a biodegradable substance that is also recyclable and reusable. Nearly 60% of all paper in the U.S> is recycled and more than 63% of the fiber used to make new paper products in the U.S. comes from recycled sources.

ELECTRONICS: Only 18% of all electronic devices are currently recycled. 1.84 million tons of these devices were disposed of in U.S> landfills in 2006, and an estimated 30-40 millions PCs will be ready for disposal in each of the next few years. Additionally, e-waste now constitutes our single largest toxic waste export.

The fact is both print and electronic media must become increasingly more sustainable to survive, and the choices we make should be based on a data-driven comparative analysis of life cycle, carbon footprint and total environmental impact. The paper and forest products industry has been addressing sustainability for decades, and now adheres to many third-party certification standards and government regulations.

The future sustainability of our society is dependent upon sustainable supply chains over the life cycle of the medium with which we choose to communicate. The ultimate question is not electronics or paper, but what combination of these has the least total impact on our environment."

Source: International Paper Sustainability

FOR MORE INFORMATION
International Paper
Academy Graphic Communication
Abundant Forest
International Energy Agency
Environmental Protection Agency

The Myths Surrounding Paper - what is the most sustainable solution?

Paper has been around for almost 2000 years, and during this time it has undoubtedly established itself as the most effective and versatile means of communication.

Even in today’s digital age with the availability of alternative media, paper’s unique practical and aesthetic qualities simply can’t be achieved by using electronic alternatives. That’s not to say that one is less suitable than the other. Both paper-based & electronic communication have a role to play and can compliment each other.

In recent years, however, paper has been the target of negative and often misinformed environmental criticism. Listening to some people, its benefits are outweighed by the mass of misleading environmental disadvantages; shrinking forests, excessive energy consumption, and overflowing landfill sites. So as far as the environment is concerned, paper appears bad.

While paper does use trees, its production does consume energy and too often, waste paper ends up in landfill sites, it is also one of the few truly renewable and recyclable raw materials we have.

A few facts about paper:

• Paper production is not a major cause of deforestation

• Industrial wood, pulp and paper production saves forests

• Paper is a fully renewable, sustainable resource

• For every tree logged in managed forests, 3–4 are replanted

• Forest certification promotes wood from managed forests

• We plant more trees than we harvest for making paper

• The paper industry is one of the biggest users of renewable, low carbon energy

• Half the energy used to make paper in Europe comes from renewable sources

• Very often, the water used to make paper is cleaner when it comes out of the mill than when it goes in

• Growing forests absorb carbon dioxide helping to counter the Greenhouse Effect

What others are saying:
‘Forestry, paper and packaging are among the most sustainable industries in existence’
CEO Perspectives 2008, Price Waterhouse Coopers

‘Almost half of the timber harvested from the world’s forests is used to make paper products, so the paper industry has a huge opportunity to make sure that those forests are responsibly managed and will be here for generations to come’ In managed forests, for every tree cut down, three to four are replanted in its place. It’s estimated that there are 25% more trees in the developed world today than there were in 1901.
Forest Stewardship Council

‘A sustainably managed forest can be relatively carbon neutral if logging is balanced with re-growth’
The Sustainable Procurement of wood & Paper products: An introduction. www.sustainableforestprods.org

‘Reading a newspaper can consume 20% less carbon than viewing news online’
Swedish Royal Institute for Technology


'The paper industry has eight representatives in the UN’s list of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies, more than any other industry’
Promotion of Paper
Australian Paper Industry Association, 2008


'When people use more paper, suppliers plant more trees. If we want bigger commercial forests, then we should use more paper not less. Our policies should directly protect important wildlife habitats, not try to reduce our demand for paper.’
Edward L. Glaeser,
Professor of Economics at Harvard University
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company

'There aren't many industries around that can aspire to becoming genuinely sustainable. The paper industry, however, is one of them; it s inherently sustainable.'
Jonathon Porritt, Chairman UK Sustainability Development Commission & Founder Forum for the Future

Improve Your Sustainability Efforts

The United Kingdom's Two Sides initiative has jumped the pond and is making waves right here on the shores of the grand ol' USA.

Even in today’s digital age with the availability of alternative media, paper’s unique practical and aesthetic qualities simply can’t be achieved by using electronic alternatives. That’s not to say that one is less suitable than the other. Both paper-based & electronic communication have a role to play and can compliment each other.

In recent years, however, paper has been the target of negative and often misinformed environmental criticism. Listening to some people, its benefits are outweighed by the mass of misleading environmental disadvantages; shrinking forests, excessive energy consumption, and overflowing landfill sites. So as far as the environment is concerned, paper appears bad.

This site is actually quite interesting and it dispels the myths surrounding paper in a very quick and informative read.

Everyone is familiar with the "Marketing Mix." The right mix for your communication strategy is just that, a mix. Rarely are we advised to throw our proverbial eggs in one basket, and marketing is no exception. A strategic and collaborative mix of communication and messaging is best to truly serve our varied audiences. And paper can serve a portion of your audience.

Plantable Papers? Yes, It's True!

Although they've been around for awhile primarily serving the "crafts" industry, plantable papers are now available for offset printing.

Plantable Papers are handmade, "tree-free", recycled sheets of paper with wildflower seeds embedded in them. Commonly used for invitations, bookmarks, tags, and announcements, after use, you simply plant the paper in a sun drenched area, spread a thin layer of moist soil on the paper and keep the area moist during germination. In about 6-8 weeks your paper will begin to grow!

For more information:
Botanical PaperWorks
Plantable Paper
Plantable Seed Paper
Green Field Paper

New Book Celebrating the Eco-Movement "Green Graphic Design"

A new book Green Graphic Design is celebrating the Eco-Movement with style and grace.

Can a graphic designer be a catalyst for positive change? Breaking down the concept of "green design" step-by-step, respected industry leader Brian Dougherty captures the ability of designers to communicate, persuade, and ultimately spread a socially and ecologically responsible message to both consumers and corporations. Green Graphic Design reframes the way designers can think about the work they create, while remaining focused on cost constraints and corporate identity. Simple, eco-innovative changes are demonstrated in all phases of the design process, including:

Picking projects • Strategizing with clients • Building strong green brands Choosing materials for manufacture and shipping • Picking ink and paper • Binding • Working with clients to foster transparency and corporate social responsibility

Fully illustrated and packed with case studies demonstrating green design in practice, this reference guide explains and inspires. It includes a "sustainability scorecard" and a complete glossary of key terms and resources to ensure that anyone in the design field can implement practical green solutions. Green Graphic Design is an indispensable resource for graphic designers ready to look to the future of their business and the environment.

Published January 2009 by Allworth Press. All rights reserved.

Paper Expert Releases Free eBook on Common Paper Myths

Sabine Lenz, founder and creator of PaperSpecs has released a free eBook titled Top Five Paper Myths Exposed. The eBook reveals common paper myths such as:

1.) How to determine is a No 1 sheet is really better than a No 2
2.) What it really means when a paper is a mill item
3.) Whether an ECF sheet is as good as a PCF or TCF sheet
4.) How to determine if a plain "recycled" sheet is goof enough
5.) The crucial distinction between a paper's brightness, whiteness and shade

PaperSpecs is a site dedicated to helping paper professionals stay current with new paper and paper trends. Download the free eBook today!