The Secret Life Of Paper

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1. Step 1: Inefficient Paper Use

   Americans use significantly more paper than citizens in other countries. If this U.S. family lived in England for example, their paper use would be about thirty percent less. And if they lived in Mexico, paper use would be about eighty percent less.

2. Step 2: Forest Destruction

   This is only one building. Can you imagine when you go down the next one, and all the other high rise buildings? Huge!
   
   Dr. Thomas Henningsen: The ancient forest reserve keeps the climate stable. Climate change is caused by the forest destruction on a global scale. Eighty percent of ancient forest is already destroyed. So only about twenty percent is left. And of this twenty percent, we are still losing, every 2nd second, and area the size of a soccer field. A big part of the forest destruction is caused by the paper industry.
   
   George Milner: The paper making business is very resource intensive. We use a lot of minerals. We use a lot of fibre that comes out of trees. We use a tremendous amount of water.

3. Step 3: Recyclable Paper

   Only about half of the paper we throw away is recyclable. And when paper is taken to a landfill instead, it releases methane contributed to climate change.

4. Step 4: Newspaper Recycling Program

   Daniel M. Brucker: As soon as we introduced our newspaper recycling program, out on the train platforms, it was and immediate success. People immediately passed by the garbage bins, took their papers with them off the trains, and put them in these newspaper recycling bins. Every single day, we're recycling 5 tons of newspaper print. That's the weight of nearly 4 automobiles every single day.
   
   Bette Fishbein : It makes a big difference if government sets the right policies. Government can require the products of purchases, paper for example, have a very high level of recycle content. Germany passed a packaging ordinance in 1991, which makes producers responsible for their packages. Right after the German law passed, the secondary packages were dropped. For example, the box on the toothpaste tube. If you went to the supermarket, you would see the tubes on the self, without the outer box.
   
   Honestly if I were to spill something, I'd use a paper towel. I should probably change that, yeah.

5. Step 5: Ways To Reduce Paper Waste

   What are other ways you can reduce your paper waste? Sign up for services that reduce junk mail. Pay bills online. And use double sided printing when you print or copy.
   
   I don't necessarily seek out recycled products.
   
   I always buy paper in a rush, so I never pay attention.

6. Step 6: Consumer Power

   Bette Fishbein: Consumers should realize that they really have a lot of power in determining what products are actually on the market. Every time a consumers picks a product with recycle content, they're casting a vote for the environment. Here's a choice that's offering a lot of good things for the environment. We have one hundred percent recycled paper. It is acid free. It's processed chlorine free. And it has the FSC logo.
   
   I use recycled paper because I think it is very important.

7. Step 7: Industry Promotion

   Along with consumers, industry can promote sustainable choices. Magazine and book publishers can cast a vote for the environment by using more recycled paper, and wood fibres certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

8. Step 8: Environmental Benefits of Recycled Fiber

   George Milner: In the late 1990s, we began thinking over businesses being sustainable, about the environmental benefits of using recycled fibre, and using renewable energy. And in the process of doing that, currently we're saving about a million and a half dollars a year. A portion of which we can use for other environment initiatives.
   
   Dr. Thomas Henningsen: We need to look for other solutions. And one is promoting a solution that fibres don't come from trees, but come from alternative plants. We need to see if it works technically, and we need to see if it really can be an alternative and a solution. But the main part has to come from recycling paper. We can not used paper from ancient forest anymore. There is no need to make toilet paper out of wonderful, hundred year old trees.

9. Step 9: Spread The Word

   Spread the word. Save trees and reduce greenhouse emissions by recycling paper and by buying recycled paper products. And remember, just use less.

Thanks for watching our video The Secret Life Of Paper For more how to videos, expert advice, instructional tips, tricks, guides and tutorials on this subject, visit the topic Green Your Office.