Paper, and its use in print, is not harmful to the environment!
Paper is made from trees, a natural and renewable resource that absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide - the absorbed carbon element of which, is retained in timber and timber derived products ... including paper!
Paper is not the primary cause of deforestation.
In fact you'll find that paper accounts for less than 14% of the world's harvested timber.
Usually the top or top ¼ of a harvested tree is used in paper manufacture, the overwhelming volume is used for construction and furniture manufacture.
Most of the virgin fibre paper products we use are made from certified sustainably managed forests, such as FSC and PEFC. Responsible timber and paper production ensures healthy and growing forestry.
Between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by 58,390km². That's an area bigger than Switzerland
FAO, 2005-2020
Total area of forestry FSC certified:
228 million ha
FSC, NOV 2021
Total area of forestry PEFC certified:
330 million ha
PEFC, NOV 2021
Paper and print is one of the lowest industrial greenhouse gas emitters accounting for 0.8% of emissions.
European Environment Agency, 2020
The CO2 emissions of the European pulp and paper industry reduced by 25% between 2005 and 2017.
CEPI, 2017
Using recycled fibre reduces the dependency on commercial forestry as a source for raw materials, and this:
encourages further forestry growth, thereby increasing natures process of carbon absorption, and
creates capacity for the growing alternative demands on forestry and forestry products.
Recycling paper reduces waste that would otherwise go to landfill.
This, in turn, reduces the carbon based emissions that would have been released through landfill degradation.
The effect of climate change and growing pressures on the planet's limited resources necessitate the need to move toward a low carbon, circular economy.
Paper is a truly sustainable product, and recycled paper is an absolute example of a circular product in action.
Recycled Paper Facts in Numbers
Paper fibre can be recycled between...
6 to 8
times
9.9
million tonnes
...of paper and cardboard were consumed in the UK in 2020
The UK recycling rate for paper and board is...
79%
in 2020
56%
of pulp and paper
...manufactured in the EU was made from recycled fibre. (CEPI 2020)
Using old paper, instead of trees, to make new paper uses...
30-50%
less energy
Let's break it down
1 tonne of recycled paper:
saves enough
energy to power the average UK home for...
6
months
saves
2.5
cubic metres
of landfill space
avoids the use of
0
litres of water
reduces
greenhouse gas
emissions by
1 tonne
tonne
of carbon
equivalent
Carbon Balancing
Carbon Balancing 1 tonne of Revive paper via The World Land Trust:
offsets
0kgs
of CO2e
saves
0m
of a designated
High Conservation
Value Area