Reduce paper consumption for Earth`s sake

Paper has played a central role in the development of human societies the world over for over 2 000 years. Today people rely heavily on paper to perform their every-day duties, despite technology that reduces the need for paper usage.

Earth Day, celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox each year, is a day set aside to remember the natural wonders of our planet and to think about Earth`s "tender seedlings of life". First proposed by John McConnell in October 1969, it serves as a reminder of the need for continuing care for the environment.

It is a reminder that should be well heeded, with statistics released by the US Department of Commerce in 2003 revealing that print-related business activities during that year contributed over $1 trillion to the US gross national product. Paper consumption has increased six-fold over the last 50 years, and the paper and printing purchases in 2003 represented 5% to 15% of all corporate expenditures.

According to the figures, the average American worker uses over 10 000 sheets of printing and copying paper per year and generates more than one kilogram of paper waste per day. Per capita consumption of paper in the US is over 340kg, while the developing nations of India and China, with their combined population of two billion, consume less than 13kg of paper per capita.

Projections that global paper consumption will more than double by 2010 have rightfully generated concerns about the negative impact this will have on the environment.

Here are five things you can do to help curb the problems being caused by our out-of-control paper consumption:

For every ton of recycled paper used, paper manufacturers can avoid the use of 3.5 tons of virgin fibre.

Rob Abraham, MD, Bytes Document Solutions.

Using the duplex function on office printers, multifunctional devices and copiers, especially for ordinary documents like e-mail or memos, enables you to halve your paper consumption every time documents are printed.

This simple action also saves energy. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that manufacturing a piece of paper requires 10 times more energy than printing double-sided.

Decades of research and experience show that recycled paper can meet the same performance standards as non-recycled paper, and there are now several recycled paper product families available in a range of varieties, colours and sizes.

Install bins in as many corners in your office as possible to make it is easy to collect paper for recycling or for reuse as notepaper. For every ton of recycled paper used, paper manufacturers can avoid the use of 3.5 tons of virgin fibre.

Paper may look "plain", but it is a carefully engineered product whose imaging performance can be altered by humidity, curl and other factors.

To prevent waste and possible paper jams, keep paper sealed until you`re ready to load it. Follow the arrows on the wrapper to ensure the proper side of the paper is facing up. Avoid crushing or damage by stacking no more than five paper boxes on top of each other. Put boxes on shelves or pallets, and not on the floor, to avoid moisture absorption; and choose a storage area that is protected from extreme temperatures and humidity. Most air-conditioned areas provide the right balance.

Not all paper is created equal, so research whether your paper brand manufacturer`s environmental policies are aligned with your values. They should have stringent requirements in place that encompass sustainable forest management and fibre sourcing, that limit the use of hazardous materials, and that demand reusable or recyclable packaging.

"For Earth Care, move thoughtfully and protect the web of life that surrounds our globe and is our life support system ... Check your job out and see if it aids life more than it destroys. Study advertisements and reject products that waste or pollute. Share cars, newspapers, whatever you can. Recycle paper, metals, glass, plastics... Learn how a person treats the Earth before you vote for him or her... Grow some of your own food. Inherit the Earth, it belongs to each of us..." - Excerpt from the Earth Day proclamation, 1970.