Save Paper. Save Trees. Save the World. is a grassroots movement created to encourage people to stop and think about their paper consumption. Simple stickers are placed on paper dispensers in public places, gently urging people to use less paper at the very moment they are about to use it.
Why Should We Save Trees?
Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen which we all need to live. They create habitat for countless animals, birds and insects. Some trees can live for hundreds of years; these same trees are being cut down at an alarming rate in order to make disposable paper products. Post-consumer recycled paper products are available and are much gentler on the trees and the environment.
According to the NRDC:
• Toilet Paper: If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees.
• Paper Towels: If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 544,000 trees.
• Napkins: If every household in the United States replaced just one package of virgin fiber napkins (250 count) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 1 million trees.
• Facial Tissue: If every household in the United States replaced just one box of virgin fiber facial tissues (175 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 163,000 trees.
According to The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality:
One ton of recycled newsprint saves 601 Kwh of energy, 1.7 barrels (71 gallons) of oil, 10.2 million Btu's of energy, 60 pounds of air pollutants from being released, 7,000 gallons of water, and 4.6 cubic yards of landfill space.
One ton of recycled office paper saves 4,100 Kwh of energy, 9 barrels (380 gallons) of oil, 54 million Btu's of energy, 60 pounds of air pollutants from being released, 7,000 gallons of water, and 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
Recycling newsprint saves 34% to 60% of the total energy needed for virgin newsprint.
About 10 million tons of newsprint is thrown away each year in the United States.
Around 4.5 million tons of office paper is thrown away each year in the United States. This is enough paper to build a 12 foot high wall of paper from Los Angeles to New York City.
Annually each person in the United States use paper equivalent to 2 pine trees.
Newsprint is recycled into newspapers, paper egg cartons, cereal boxes, cellulose insulation and acoustical ceiling tiles.
