Print This Post: Here’s How Using Paper Actually GROWS Trees (and Supports Our Economy)
Did you know, the average American uses nearly six trees worth of paper each year? And have you ever received an email with a note at the bottom, asking you to consider saving paper or “save a tree”, by not printing the email?
Yes, forests are vital to humans, filtering the water we drink and the air we breathe. Yes, forests are home to half the world’s species of animals. And yes deforestation and forest destruction is the second leading cause of carbon pollution.
Fortunately, paper is NOT the enemy of trees! And here’s why:
1. Most US forestland is privately managed and depends on DEMAND to continue operating.
More than half the forest land in the United States is owned and managed by some 11 million private forest owners. They provide over 90 percent of our domestically-produced forest products and support 2.4 million jobs primarily in rural communities.
If landowners can’t earn a living from these forests, they will sell the land off and/or convert it to farms, ranches or real estate development. Demand for forest products — including paper — means there’s an economical reason to keep preserve commercial forests.
You can learn more about private forest land on the US Forest Service website.
2. Reputable manufacturers use materials from “responsibly managed forests”.
Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo and/or the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) logo on the paper products you buy to identify a product that uses responsibly sourced forest materials.
These certifications give consumers the option to choose forest products, like paper, that have been sourced in an environmentally-friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable manner.
3. Paper is the most recycled material in the US, perhaps the world!
Everyday use of paper makes it a recyclable product that keeps on giving. In fact, over 66 percent of all paper products were recycled in 2015, with a goal of reaching 70 percent by 2020.
4. Forest owners actually grow trees faster than we can use them!
Increased demand has NOT depleted forests. The number of timberland acres has remained stable, increasing by about 3 percent. Total inventory has doubled because growth has outpaced harvests. There are more trees in America today than there were 100 years ago!
So maybe that email signature should read, “Need to print this? That’s ok. Paper is recyclable, and made primarily from renewable wood fiber resources. Please recycle this document when it completes its useful purpose.”
