Testimonial

Driven and reinforced by a misinformed media, the popular misconception that printing has a detrimental effect on the environment is factually incorrect. The phrase, “Think before you print,” made popular by the media is in fact the exact opposite of the strategy required to maintain the earth’s natural bio-diversity. To demonstrate these misconceptions, we share the following myths for your consideration:

Myth #1: Paper is made from fresh-cut trees.

Fact: In the United States, a full two-thirds of the paper produced comes from a combination of wood chips, saw mill scraps and recycled paper.

Myth #2: Print leads to deforestation.

Fact: Nearly all of the wood used in the paper industry comes from renewable tree farms. Print gives landowners a financial incentive to grow trees instead of selling off their land. Using wood stimulates the market to grow more trees.

Myth #3: The tree population is shrinking.

Fact: More trees and forest exist today than 20 years ago. There are 12 million more acres of forest in the United States than there were in 1991.

The source of these facts comes from:

• The U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste
• The American Forest and Paper Association
• The Boston Globe
• Dr. Edward L. Glaeser, Harvard University
• Dr. Patrick Moore, Co-Founder of Greenpeace

What might be the ideal situation?

The ideal situation would require that the business of owning forestland was so profitable for landowners that they would naturally maintain the biodiversity of their forests and replace trees as part of a long-term strategy to maintain biodiversity.??Perhaps we should consider the enlightened phrase, “Think before you don’t print.”

The source of this material can be found at chooseprint.org