Processing paper from virgin timber is tough on the environment. Clear cutting can destroy wildlife habitat and increases erosion and sedimentation of streams. The cut wood is then ground, pressed, dried and chlorine bleached, producing over 1,000 different organochlorines, including the carcinogen dioxin, and mercury. The process also requires large amounts of energy.
At the other end of its lifecycle, much of the paper we buy ends up in landfills.
The good news is paper recycling is on the rise, and choosing the right paper for your kitchen, bathroom or home office can help save forests and conserve energy, too. A ton of recycled paper saves 3,000 to 4,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity compared with producing a ton of virgin-fiber paper.
Of course, reducing use is best. You will appreciate the many simple ways to dramatically reduce office paper use altogether: Make sure everyone at home and in the office chooses the double-sided printing option on their printers, uses the blank side of scrap paper for printing drafts and distributes as many documents electronically as possible.
Cut back on paper in the kitchen as well by using cloth towels and napkins instead.
Hehe. I always pull off rolls of paper tissues at office, which makes the trash can pile up with tissues but I'll change that habit. Let do this people!
Statictics grabbed from Wendy Gordon, Green Room.
