Do you want to go paperless? In today's world, consumers are increasingly responsible for being aware of their carbon footprint and taking active steps to reduce it. Banking companies such as Santander say that by moving your paper bank statements online, you are doing your part to achieve a more sustainable future.
But how much truth is there in their claims? The world of paper sustainability is full of myths and mysteries. It is easy to conjure up images of deforested forests to create paper, but the reality is very different.
With over 20 years of experience working in the printing industry to provide sustainable, environmentally friendly printing options, Solopress has partnered with Two Sides, an ecological non-profit organization, to help dispel some of the most common myths about paper production and consumption.
Key findings:
The paper industry contributes only 0.8% to Europe's total greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 4.8% for the metals industry and 5.6% for non-metallic minerals
Paper manufacturing does not destroy forests - in fact, between 1995 and 2020, Europe's forests grew at a rate of 1,500 soccer fields per day. Ninety-three percent of the water withdrawn for use in the paper-making process is returned to the environment.
Compared to the average number of miles driven per person per year, the paper consumed per person per year emits only 5.47% of the carbon dioxide.
Paper is highly recyclable - it is reused an average of 3.8 times in Europe, and 56 percent of the fiber raw material used in the European paper industry comes from paper used for recycling.
Myth #1: To have a positive impact on the planet, you must switch to paperless communications
On the surface, it is easy to assume that paper-based communication has a much greater impact on the planet than paperless communication. However, the overall environmental impact of paper communication depends on how the paper is used and reused.
In many cases, the actual impact of electronic communications on the environment has been underestimated. The European Commission noted in 2020 that the ICT sector accounts for 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (equivalent to all the world's air traffic). E-waste generated by the sector has climbed 21 percent in the past five years, and the resources needed to manage global electronic communications - such as servers and generators - are non-renewable and difficult to recycle.
If we are to consider the long-term impact of both types of communication, paper is both renewable and recyclable. After working with Two Sides, more than 750 of the world's largest organizations have removed misleading statements claiming that digital communication is better for the environment.
Myth #2: Paper is a huge contributor to CO2 emissions
According to the European Environment Agency's greenhouse gas inventory, the paper, pulp and printing sectors are among the lowest emitting industrial sectors. In fact, companies operating in these regions account for only 0.8% of Europe's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Europe's metals and minerals industry contributes much more to the continent's greenhouse gas emissions - the non-metallic minerals industry accounts for 5.6 percent of total emissions, while the base metals industry accounts for 4.8 percent. Thus, while paper is undoubtedly a contributor to CO2 emissions, the extent of this contribution is often exaggerated.
Myth #3: Paper is destroying our forests
Wood fiber and pulp, the raw materials used to make paper, are harvested from trees, leading to the common misconception that paper production is destroying the world's forests. However, this is not the case. Throughout Europe, almost all primary forests are protected, meaning that the cycle of planting, growing and logging is strictly controlled.
In fact, forests are growing throughout Europe. From 2005 to 2020, Europe's forests will increase by 1,500 soccer fields per day. In addition, only 13% of the world's wood is used for paper - the vast majority is used for fuel, furniture and other industries.
Myth 4: Paper wastes a lot of water
Water is an essential component of the paper-making process, although the amount of water used has been reduced significantly in recent years. In earlier years, paper was often made using excessive amounts of water, but advances in modern paper-making processes have greatly reduced this figure.
Since the 1990s, the average water uptake per ton of paper has been reduced by 47%. In addition, most of the total uptake used in the process is returned to the environment - 93% of the uptake is reused at the paper mill, then treated and returned to the source.
Again, this is due to new developments in the production cycle - updates in filtration, sedimentation, flotation and biological treatment processes have helped paper manufacturers return more water to the environment.
Myth #5: You can't use paper in your daily life without hurting the planet
Almost everything we do adds to our carbon footprint. It is a simple fact that the average person's use of paper is far less damaging to the planet than many other aspects of daily life. According to the FAO's Forest Products Yearbook, the average European country uses 119 kg of paper per person per year.
An estimate by EUROGRAPH shows that the production and consumption of one ton of paper generates approximately 616 kg of CO2. If we take this figure, an average person consuming paper (119 kg) per year would produce 73 kg of CO2. This figure is equivalent to driving a standard car for 372 miles. Meanwhile, the average British driver drives 6,800 miles per year.
Therefore, the average person's annual paper consumption generates only 5.47% of their annual miles driven, which shows how little your paper consumption affects your driving.
With so many businesses and companies advocating a paperless future, it seems right to dispel some of the myths about the paper industry," commented Glen Eckett, head of marketing at Solopress. Paper is one of the most recycled products in the world, and the process of producing and consuming paper is much more environmentally friendly than news reports would have us believe. There is a place for both paper and digital communications in the future.
