Paper, Plastic, & Environmental Damage

Let’s be clear about petroleum-based plastics: They pollute our planet on a massive scale. When plastics are sent to landfills and incinerators they don’t just disappear. The debris escapes onto roadways and the emissions are sent into the air we breathe. According to Keep America Beautiful, toxic pollution from plastics contributes over 19% of roadside waste. That’s like throwing 1,300 pieces of plastic trash on to every mile of roadway in the U.S.

And that plastic litter on the roadsides doesn’t necessarily stay on the roadsides. It will travel thousands of miles in the air and water and end up as ocean pollution. Over 80% of the ocean’s litter is plastic from the land.

Whether it’s a cup caddy made from unbleached 100% post consumer waste paper, or fine writing paper made of virgin wood from old growth forests, all tree-based paper is ecologically damaging. In fact, it’s hard to find which paper does the least amount of damage to the environment.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about one third of the paper made in the U.S. today comes from whole trees and plants, about one third comes from wood chips and scraps, and about one third is recycled from other paper (Source). Global consumption of paper has increased 400% in the past 40 years (Source).

Meanwhile, the pulp and paper industry continues to use virgin forests for wood. According to the National Wildlife Federation, two-thirds of paper comes from virgin forests, mature ecosystems that can never be replicated or replaced. Learn more at nwf.org.