Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Dirty Little Secret of the Electronic Age

Still hearing that paper is going away? That your newsletters are now e-newsletters only or that electronic media is just so much more sustainable than the old way of paper and print? Well, then consider these facts:


  • Paper comes from a renewable resource and is recyclable and biodegradable

  • Paper's recovery rate is significantly higher than metal, glass and plastic

  • The paper industry leads all other manufacturing sectors in on-site electricity generation (meeting 1/2 of its own energy needs)

  • The average web user prints 28 pages daily

  • 3 cubic yards of landfill space can be saved by using 1 ton of recycled paper

  • Recycled paper uses 64% less energy to manufacture than virgin fiber paper

  • A Newspaper is approximately 60-70 grams of CO2, and and Annual Report of 100 full color pages releases about 80 grams of CO2 - WHEREAS a CD or DVD produces 300-350 grams of CO2 PER COPY

  • A television commercial played on a plasma 106 cm display is equal in CO2 emissions to one copy of a 16 page paper catalog

If these facts aren't enough to keeping print alive, then we should take a look at the substrate used for the material we read. When finished with a newspaper or magazine, it can be recycled and used for another paper product. When you are finished with your computer or cell phone, or "have to have the newest one," the monitors, screens and CPUs get shipped overseas. Go ahead, take a look - it will change the way you look at technology.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/06/60minutes/main4579229.shtml

1 comment:

  1. Blakeley, I'm so using these eco-info tips when trying to convince my husband that recycling is worth it! Makes me happy our office is recycling all our paper products especially, even if I'm the one taking it to the recycling center. Great post :)

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