Did you know that paper doesn't have to grow on trees?
Before 1900 most paper in North America and Europe was made from cotton
rags.
The hemp plant was also used extensively in the United States until
the 1930s, and today the Australians and French are bringing it back
into cultivation for paper.
Flax also makes a fine paper, while Japanese artisans even today make
the world's strongest paper from the leaves of mulberry bushes.
The ancient Egyptians manufactured paper from papyrus, a member of the
sedge family.
The Bible is actually named after the Greek bi'blos for the pithy
centre of the papyrus plant.
The best paper for the job is the least processed
one.
Bleaching introduces harsh chemicals into the environment, and chlorine-based
chemicals are the hardest to control or re-use. For inter-office memos,
duplicate files and drafts, scrap paper is adequate. For external use,
unbleached or oxygen-bleached papers are acceptable. Extra white glossy
paper is sometimes necessary for fine art reproduction, and photographic
prints. Highly processed paper is hardest on the environment.
Yellow Paper
Most of the paper we use in North America turns yellow and brittle within
thirty years. It's a librarian's nightmare! The reason? Acid residues
from wood pulp, bleaching, or the fillers in the paper. Acid-free or
alkaline papers made with fillers such as calcium carbonate can last
for two or three hundred years. They use less water, less fibre, and
less bleach in the manufacture. Acid-free paper lasts longer and it's
better for the environment.
Recycling isn't new
Paper manufacturers use the clean waste and unsold publications to make
new paper. That is why recycled paper usually specifies the percentage
of "post-consumer" content. These days, industry executives estimate
that eventually at least 40% of our paper needs will be met from recycling
the "urban forest" of used paper.
The sludge from recycling paper creates disposal problems. It takes
eighty tons of waste paper to make sixty tons of recycled paper. Paper
fibres can be recycled four to seven times before the fibres become too
short and wash away in the sludge. Sludge can be toxic because of ink
and other additives. One benefit of unbleached paper is that it does
not add organochlorine compounds to the sludge.
Graphic design can make recycling easier
Bindings: Paper clips are easy to remove. Large metal or plastic
bindings require extra work. Colours: Deep reds, purples and blues are hard to de-ink. Special Effects: Plastic windows, self-adhesive labels, hot melts, rubber-based
and synthetic glues for binding, thermoset laminates, and UV varnishes contaminate
paper stock for recycling and make the sludge more toxic. Ink: A hidden environmental hazard. Petrochemical oil-based inks and
metallic inks cause problems. Water-based and vegetable-based inks are the
best choices, for recycling, for the atmosphere, and for your printer's health.
You Are Practising Wise Paper Use When You:
Use both sides of a piece of paper
Choose the right paper for the job
Use telecommunications and computer media whenever possible
Take your name off direct mail lists
Choose non-toxic inks and print methods that are easy to recycle
Recycle your used paper and buy recycled unbleached paper.
Reduction
We are using more and more paper in the world every year, and this growth
is not sustainable. We have to do more with less.
Reduce a legal size sheet to an 8 1/2 x 11" sheet when you photocopy
it.
Circulate reports around the office in a mailing envelope -- as each
person reads it, they send it on to the next on the list.
Make smaller notices, forms and letters -- print two on each sheet
of paper and cut it in half.
Use scrap paper -- for photocopying office memos, for scratch pads
and telephone messages, for doodling. Use old envelopes for notes around
the house.
Use electronic mail. It's fast, cheap, and paper-free!
Put lists, reference works and reports on computer diskette. Don't
make hard paper copies.
Remove yourself from direct mail. The Canadian Direct Marketing Association
has an internet site with a where you can get
listed on its "Do Not Mail/Do Not Call" service. It will take about
three months to get delisted.
Photocopiers make a difference.
If you buy or lease a photocopier, be sure to get one that:
Copies back-to-back so you can use 100% of your paper instead of
only 50%
Works with recycled paper.
Has an auto-reduce button to shrink legal size paper down to office
size.
For more information about these and other issues surrounding the wise use of
paper and paper products, or to offer your help in changing our paper
consumption habits, contact your local recycling organization, or environmental
centre.