The consequences of the paper industry on the environment

In this article:

Now let's get the hard facts on the table ❗️

🌎 According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest industrial polluter, releasing pollutants into air and water

💦 The production of paper also requires a large amount of water, and the pulping process can pollute nearby water sources

🌳 According to the World Wildlife Fund, about 35% of trees are cut down for paper production

♻️ According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paper accounts for about 25% of landfill waste and 33% of municipal waste

That should be motivation enough to save more paper. But in addition to sustainability, there are enough economic reasons as well

Businesses can save money by reducing their paper consumption because they have lower printing and storage and shipping costs and use fewer resources such as electricity and water

According to the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), businesses can save up to $80 per document by switching to digital documents compared to paper-based processes

Electronic document management systems also enable faster retrieval of information and reduce the risk of losing important documents

Thus, reducing paper consumption not only benefits the environment, but also your operating costs 💸