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The Lastest Corporate Social Responsibility News - Sustainable Hankies
The Lastest Corporate Social Responsibility News - Sustainable Hankies
Published 02-25-09
Submitted by CSRwire Weekly News Alert
Sustainable Hankies
The CSR headlines this week are papered with news about...paper. The Environmental Paper Network (EPN) launched the WhatsInYourPaper.com website to help consumers and companies buy better paper, environmentally speaking. And Greenpeace released its Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide to help us wipe our noses and kitchen spills with the most sustainable facial tissues and paper towels.
The EPN website features a "Paper Purchaser's Toolkit" that includes "The Paper Steps," a graphical representation of the hierarchy of environmental impacts and benefits from different paper production modes, along with statistics. For example, "Environmentally Inferior Paper" uses non-Forest Stewardship Council certified, virgin tree fiber, emitting 5,483 to 6,855 pounds of greenhouse gases (GHGs), according to data from Environmental Defense. At the other end of the spectrum "Environmentally Superior Paper" contains at least 50 percent recycled content, which emits about 19 to 25 percent less GHGs (100 percent recycled content emits 25 to 50 percent less GHGs, and consumes no trees!)
WhatsInYourPaper.com also links to the EPN blog, the Paper Planet, which includes in-depth updates on developments in the paper space. For example, the blog posted a video documenting the end of ForestEthics' "Victoria's Dirty Secret" campaign where the activists transformed the catalog of scantily clad lingerie models from an ancient forest eater to a more responsible paper user through collaboration with Victoria's Secret parent, Limited Brands. ForestEthics is one of 100 conservation groups comprising EPN, which also includes the As You Sow Foundation, Green America (formerly Co-op America), Dogwood Alliance, and Rainforest Action Network.
Shifting from paper for printing to paper for sniffling, the Greenpeace guide similarly rates papers based on their degree of recycled content, and also prioritizes paper that refrains from bleaching with chlorine compounds (as the EPN ranking does.) Greenpeace formatted the guide into a nifty, pocket-sized document that consumers can whip out at the store to guide they buying.
Eco-pioneer Seventh Generation ranked in the top "recommended" category for all 4 kinds of papers (paper towels, facial tissues, toilet papers, and disposable napkins), with 80 percent post-consumer recycled content and Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) across the board. Wal-Mart, on the other hand, ranked at the bottom of the heap in each category, with absolutely no recycled content and Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF "“ which uses chlorine dioxide in one or more stages of processing.)
Greenpeace points out that "using reusable hankies instead of facial tissues...further reduces our impact on ancient forests." Make that a locally-grown, organic hemp hankie and you can sneeze without negatively impacting the environment!
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