Paper, a sustainable source?

We all know paper is made from trees, but do you know where the tree that you printed your sales report on actually came from?

The paper industry is often clouded by myths and misconceptions that paper is detrimental to the environment. Which is why most people are surprised to learn that paper is one of the most sustainable products on earth. The paper industry is at the forefront of promoting a responsible, sustainable and low impact closed loop supply system. This is due to new innovations, global organisations and local commitments.

It is no secret that the world’s forests have been subject to considerable deforestation in man kind’s short history. Due to agriculture, logging and clearing, 30 percent of forests covering the globe are now gone, with a further 20 percent degraded. However, in the last 50 years, forests in Europe have grown by 30 percent. The change in the way we use this resource can be contributed to a number of things like, industry initiatives, global organisations and you, the consumer.

Voluntary industry groups like the Forest Stewardship Council promote initiatives like FSC Certified Forests and FSC Chain of Custody. These initiatives promote controlled wood that is harvested in a sustainable and responsible way. There are currently 106 million hectares in more than 81 countries that are certified according to FSC Forest Management standards. The FSC allows producers easy access to responsibly grown and quality controlled wood fibre to use in the production of paper and other products. The FSC also follows these wood fibres right through the production phase. This is known as the Chain of Custody. The FSC tracks FSC certified material though the production process ensuring that all materials used in production originates from certified forests.

However, independent and government operated forest initiatives aren’t the only ones impacting change in industry.

Organisations like the World Resources Institute work with industry leaders to turn big ideas into action. They work around issues concerning climate, energy, food, forests, water and cities and transport. In February of this year, WRI launched Global Forest Watch which is an online forest monitoring system. It gives the power to the people and unites satellite technology, open data and crowdsourcing to delivery a near-real-time display of the world’s forests. This interactive map allows users to view the gain and loss of forests anywhere in the world along with forest reserves and biodiversity hotspots.

To view the WRI Global Forstest Watch go to http://www.wri.org

In today’s society, consumers are more aware than ever of the environmental issues facing our planet and as a result have driven a demand for responsibly produced products throughout every industry. Consumers are also contributing to environmental responsibility by simply recycling. 91 percent of Australian’s take advantage of kerbside recycling services, with 44 percent of all waste in Australia being recycled. This is diverting thousands of tonnes of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills across the country. As a result of consumer commitment to recycling, recycled paper is more widespread. This makes it easy for businesses to make the switch to 100 percent recycled paper and take part a closed loop supply chain.

Are you paper supplies in the closed loop supply chain? Simply choose a paper supply that is 100% recycled or with the FSC certified logo. This will ensure your paper is being sourced from a responsible source. Use paper recycle bins to ensure that your waste paper goes back into the loop and is recycled into new paper.

For more information you can visit the FSC website at http://au.fsc.org.

To view the WRI Global Forstest Watch go to http://www.wri.org