Clean Paper Consumer Information

The pulp pollution problem is a large and sometimes overwhelming one. But there are solutions and YOU can make a difference.

This Clean Paper section aims to provide consumers and purchasing departments with information to help them make good decisions about the paper we all use. The Common Vision is the consensus statement from North American environmental groups on the factors to consider when buying paper for a sustainable future.

When we buy paper made with high recycled content and which is either unbleached or bleached with oxygen based chemicals, we give the pulp and paper industry an economic incentive to make paper the right way.

Here we present information and sources on fibres, on recycling and on saving paper. We explore the markets for pulp and paper and give links to the North American campaigns to change those markets, including their environmentally friendly paper lists.

To date, the price of environmentally friendly paper (whitened with oxygen-based chemicals and acid free) has been a barrier to its success on the market. That price can be lowered by large and consistent purchases. That is why Reach for Unbleached started the Office Paper Buying Club, open to large and small office paper purchasers in Canada.