Paper and the future of the world
“Global warming.”
“Green house gasses.”
“Carbon footprint.”
These and other phrases have come to be commonly used in recent years. Whether you believe the end of the earth as we know it is coming soon due to global warming, completely disbelieve in global warming, or believe somewhere between the two, there is no question that the choices we make in the use of our natural resources will someday effect the lives of future generations.
When it comes to natural resources, the paper industry makes a huge impact. It should come as no surprise that paper is one of the three major users of forest wood on the planet. For those unfamiliar with the paper making process, it may come as a surprise to learn that the industry is the third biggest consumer of water and one of the five biggest users of energy on the planet.
Paper is so important that it would be a very rare person that is not impacted in some way in their day to day life by paper. Take a minute and think of all the things that surround you that are made with or wrapped in paper. With this in mind, efforts by paper manufacturers to make paper in environmentally friendly ways can have a huge impact, but it is important for us as consumers to support paper mills who choose such a route. This forces other mills around the world to adopt similar practices.
Sometimes, this may mean paying a slightly higher cost — though not always. But as industry expert, Derek Smith points out “If the price appears high, let us understand that the cost of failure may be unbearable.”
In an UPCOMING POST, we will examine why environmentally conscious printing is a sound and important business decision.
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