As it is well known, the manufacture of the pollution paper tremendously. Although not all the role has the same environmental impact, since the elaboration processes and its life cycle are variable, by norm the production of paper is synonymous with pollution.
The paper sector is an industry that has a lot to improve, what doubt, it fits, but it is no less true than reducing consumption and optimizing the use and recycling of the paper is everyone’s responsibility. In Ecology Verde, we explain what is The environmental impact of paper manufacturing and consumption.
Goodbye to trees for paper consumption
It is easy to repair on the Great presence of paper in our society. From the revolution that supposed the printing press, and above all the Mass Media, the paper is by torders.
To this we must add the boom of packaging and packaging in general in modern times. The post industrial era has brought us materials of a thousand types, and the paper has endless applications such as such, as well as in the form of folios and endless accessories that we use (and of which we often abuse) in everyday life.
Its consumption per inhabitant is an average of several hundred kilos per inhabitant and year. In Spain, for example, each Spanish spends an amount of paper equivalent to four trees 12 meters high.
An excessive consumption that varies significantly in each country. The Japanese or Americans spend the equivalent of six 12 meters and the Belgians more than 8.5 trees.
On the other hand, among those who spend are Russia, with 1.2 trees per inhabitant, Indonesia (0.67), India (0.23) and Azarbaijan (or, 26). Even so, despite the differences, if we take into account the millions of inhabitants in the world the result is alarming.
One almost wonders how it is possible that there are still trees on the face of the earth. Not surprisingly, according to a recent study by Yale University to the current rate of deforestation to trees, they have a sigh.
Specifically, Every year 15,000 million trees are lostand if things follow in 300 years we will erase them from the planet. In addition, let’s keep in mind that paper consumption is an indicator of development, so the future paints black.
As Greenpeace reminds us, the destruction of native forests and their replacement for forest plantations has been very harmful to the environment and remains a problem without solving in much of the world.
Not only for the loss of habitat for protected species or by the disappearance of flora in the process of extinction, but also because it is a great damage For the balance of the water cycle at regional and world level.
Sustainability, no doubt, remains a pending task. But that is not all, because once the raw material is achieved, the manufacturing process adds environmental damage that goes beyond mere manufacturing.
Why manufacture paper contaminates the environment
In addition to this growing worldwide consumption, parallel to the progress of developing countries, its manufacture represents a Huge source of pollution.
It even affects the environment from the same tree planting. Because certified forests are not all sustainable that seem. In addition to occupying a floor that could be dedicated to food, according to Greenpeace, The use of herbicides is triggered for the fashion of using transgenic seeds to improve the industrial management of plantations.
On the other hand, the manufacture of paper itself is a counterement of ecological production. Large amounts of water, energy and wood are consumed. In turn, it needs many means of transport, so its carbon footprint is high.
All this has an impact on the environment, and not only because many natural resources are consumed, but because of the pollution. The atmosphere and water are contaminated with chemicals, affecting the environment, such as adjacent rivers and ecosystems.
Therefore, All papers pollize And it would be best not to consume them. And, when we do, let’s choose those who respect the environment as much as possible.
But, which one to choose? The Recycled paper manufacturing It is more ecological because we avoid logging and also less energy is consumed. However, if the methods used are not clean, the paradox that a recycled paper was less green than another manufactured from the wood could be given.
Ecological certification will guide us on the best choice to, while consuming it, decrease our impact on the planet.
Recycle paper to take care of the environment and have a better future
It is not necessary to talk about the future to find more eco -amigable bins. Although they are still an exception, there are. They are characterized by their commitment to what they call the new bioeconomy.
They use renewable and recyclable resources and manufacture more ecological products than traditional ones. The ecological role, whether or not recycled, has a life cycle that is characterized by a lower environmental impact.
In turn, the will demonstrated by citizens recycling the paper is laudable, what is doubtful, but that role that is thrown into the containers is not always recycled. In Spain, without going any further, only one third of urban waste is recycled.
Thus, it is easy to understand that a sustainable future asks for much more commitment. The 3R of ecology, that of reducing, reusing and recycling are part of the solution, but little we can achieve without an abandonment of traditional production techniques.
In addition, to help raise awareness of the responsible consumption of paper and other products, we want to offer you this ecology video about what is responsible consumption and its benefits.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is the environmental impact of paper consumptionwe recommend that you enter our pollution category.
