 We have all used tissues at some point whether we wanted to refrain from sneezing all over those around us or to freshen up. EnviroCitizen.org has found that many consumers are now concerned with the effects of paper consumption on their eco-friendly lifestyles, so they are watching and changing their paper habits. Recycled tissue products help protect forests, clean water and wildlife habitats. It is easier on the Earth to make tissues from already existing paper instead of trees, too. If we change our habits by just a little bit in each home, we can save acres of forests.
Trees and tree quality are an issue. Although brands differ, 25% to 50% of the pulp used to make toilet paper in this country comes from tree farms in South America and the United States which may follow flawed practices. The rest, environmental groups say, comes mostly from wild, older forests that serve as important absorbers of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. In addition, some of the pulp comes from the last virgin North American forests, which are an irreplaceable habitat for a variety of endangered species according to different environmental groups. Facts like this show how imperative it is to switch to sustainable papers.
Greenpeace offers a wonderful guide and valuable information on this topic. They even have ratings of who has the most sustainable practices when it comes to their paper products. There are downloadable guides that you can take with you shopping, too. If you are tech-savvy, there is even an iPhone application on this as well.
The EPA’s term, environmentally preferable, means products or services that have a smaller or reduced effect on our health and the health of the environment when compared with competitors’ products or services that serve the same purpose according to the Instructions for Implementing Executive Order 13423, which is available for public reading. This comparison applies to raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, reuse, operation, maintenance and disposal. Therefore, paper products apply to this as well.
Marcal, the oldest recycled-paper maker in the country will be the first national company to advertise a toilet tissue’s environmental friendliness. Marcal’s new chief executive, Tim Spring, said the company had seen deep interest in the new product from chains like Walgreens. Mr. Spring also stated that Marcal would be able to price the new tissue below most conventional brands, partially because of the lower cost of recycled material.
EnviroCitizen.org believes that switching to recycled paper is a superb switch that not only saves the trees that help keep us healthy, but is much more economically smart than conventional products.
|
