Published 03-24-09
Submitted by Environmental Paper Network
- March 24, 2009 - The Environmental Paper Network, a coalition of leading environmental organizations, is challenging the use of the term "carbon-neutral paper" in a new report prepared by environmental research group Climate for Ideas. The report finds that the scope of the impacts on forests and the burning of fuels in paper's production are often cloaked by the use of the term 'carbon neutral,' and offers recommendations to improve the measuring of the carbon footprint of paper products.
Download the report: http://www.environmentalpaper.org/carbonneutralpaper
"There is real concern that this term could be used as 'greenwashing'," said Joshua Martin of the Environmental Paper Network. "Companies making unfounded claims about their environmental sustainability risk discrediting not only themselves but the innovations of true leaders creating truly greener jobs in the industry."
The paper industry is one of the largest industrial consumers of fossil fuels. It uses massive amounts of biomass energy "“ energy from wood "“ that weakens carbon sequestration and other crucial ecosystem services. Every year the paper industry draws millions of tons of carbon from forests and burns that carbon for energy, resulting in large-scale emissions.
For example, in Indonesia, the drainage, burning and conversion of natural peat-land forests, much of it for pulp and paper plantations, emits 1.8 billion tons of CO2 annuallyi, almost the same as emissions from all coal power electricity generation in the US.iiÂ
In the report, EPN urges paper producers to strive for "low carbon" papers and products which target a lower climate impact through innovation in efficiency, use of recycled fiber, use of truly renewable energy sources, use of fiber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and a demonstrated lack of fiber from intact and other old-growth forests.
Key findings of the report include:
To view the entire report including key findings and a complete set of recommendations for paper purchasers, visit: http://www.environmentalpaper.org/carbonneutralpaper
The EPN Steering Committee: As You Sow, Conservatree, Green America, Dogwood Alliance, ForestEthics, Green Press Initiative, Markets Initiative, Natural Resources Council of Maine, National Wildlife Federation, and Rainforest Action Network.
iHooijer, A., Silvius, M., Wösten, H. and Page, S. 2006. PEAT-CO2, Assessment of CO2
emissions from drained peatlands in SE Asia. Delft Hydraulics report Q3943 (2006)
iihttp://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/carbon.html#electric
The Environmental Paper Network (EPN) accelerates environmental transformation in the pulp and paper industry in order to protect forests, climate, air, water and communities.
The EPN facilitates a powerful movement of independent organizations, strategically leveraging their collective expertise and resources, to initiate change and environmental improvement in the pulp and paper industry.
The EPN is led by a Steering Committee that includes: Canopy, Climate for Ideas, Conservatree, Dogwood Alliance, ForestEthics, Green America, Green Press initiative, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Rainforest Action Network.
Other organizations which are active participants and/or serve on EPN Working Groups include NRDC, WWF-US, Greenpeace (US and Canada), Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Product Policy Institute, Environmental Defense Fund, Responsible Purchasing Network, Catalog Choice, and more.
More from Environmental Paper Network