Newspaper Quiz > December 29th, 2008

If everyone in the U.S. recycled one Sunday paper, how many trees would be saved each week?

A) 10,000
B) 700,000
C) 550,000

Congratulations to this week's winner Maggie, who answered this quiz challenge correctly and will receive an EarthShare reusable bag and other fun environmental goodies.

Answer: c

550,000 - That’s how many could be saved if each of us recycled our Sunday paper each week. Just think how many trees we could save if we recycled the other six days worth of news? Luckily, newspaper is one of the easiest materials to reuse and recycle.

Despite predictions that the internet would kill print media, annual circulation of newspapers around the world has reached 24 billion. And while newspapers have been used for centuries to spread news and information to communities big and small, their impact on the environment has also grown.

In 2000, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) reported that pulp, paper, and paperboard mills account for 12 percent of total manufacturing energy use in the U.S.
A 2004 report published by two University of California professors found that receiving news on a wireless device such as a cell phone results in the release of 30-140 times less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, due to associated cuts in printing and transportation.
The Energy Information Administration found that making a ton of paper from recycled stock saves up to 17 trees and uses 50 percent less water.

You can minimize the carbon impact of your daily paper by recycling what you have. You might be surprised to learn that the average newspaper contains about 30 percent recycled fiber content. Thus, recycling your daily paper essentially pays it forward to a future edition. Furthermore, the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) reports that recycled newspapers are also used to make every day items like:

Egg cartons
Pencils
Cereal boxes
Paper grocery bags
Tissue paper
Insulation materials

Companies like Purina are even using recycled newspaper to create environmentally- and pet-friendly litter and bedding for cats and small animals.

Thanks to municipal recycling projects and initiatives, recycling yesterday’s news has become easier and more prevalent than ever before. Earth911 reports that as of 2006, newspapers are recycled at a rate of 88 percent.

Be a part of the recycling revolution by reusing your newspaper (for gift wrap or packing valuables) or tossing your unused paper into the recycling bin rather than the trash. If your neighborhood doesn’t already have a scheduled recycling pickup, visit Earth911 to find a recycling center near you.

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Saptarshi, happy to report that there are alternatives to tree-based paper:

http://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Paper/Alternatives.html

Posted by: Robin | January 20, 2010 at 09:55 AM

I only wish there was an alternative to paper, say, a fiber like substance created artificially which could be used to print. Then trees would not have had to be felled.

Posted by: Saptarshi | January 08, 2010 at 08:14 AM