Mail & Paper

In 2006, Americans generated some 99 million tons of waste from paper and wood products, including an enormous amount of junk mail, copy paper, and newspapers.[1]

These products are made from pulp and wood sourced from forests that are being cut down at the alarming rate of 20 million hectares every year (an area the size of England, Scotland, and Wales combined).[2] This figure is expected to double over the next 30 years as worldwide demand increases.[3]

Despite these sobering statistics, you can reduce your eco-footprint by simply using less paper, reusing paper where appropriate, and recycling. Go one step farther by choosing sustainably-sourced, recycled, or reclaimed paper and wood products. In doing so, you will help reduce deforestation, prevent erosion, run-off pollution, and global warming, while preserving unique ecosystems and tree varieties.

Expand your understanding with additional tips and information for the following categories:

Mail & Paper

Footnotes

  1. US Environmental Protection Agency - Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2006
  2. The Nature Conservancy - The Role of Forests in Reducing Emissions
  3. WoodConsumption.org - RCA Newsletter - May 2001: Campaigns and Events