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Apparently human beings are still Tree Enemy Number One, sneaking past beavers and termites. In fact, if you are reading this in Britain, you personally killed 4.48 40-foot trees last year thanks to all of your paper usage. But don’t feel too bad: Belgians consumed a whopping 8.5 trees per person, which is like taking four Rockefeller Center Christmas trees and setting them on fire.
According to The Economist, worldwide paper consumption has increased by half in the last 30 years, a puzzling development for an era when “paperless” and “green” are as buzzy as words can get. You’d think that with the rise of computers, iPads and smartphones that paper consumption would shrink, but apparently humans are still ripping down spruces and pines at an alarming rate. So save a tree—buy a Kindle. [The Economist]
It’s the extra fibre in our diets
If you want to save paper, cut all the government red tape BS that makes businesses hold three copies of most documents and allow data to be kept electronically only. There are so many different methods of backing up now that if managed properly, data should be safer electronically anyway.
So the EU is responsible for Belgians increase but why is paper consumption going up elsewhere? Or is it that more people worldwide are alive today using paper than there was 30 years ago, which could mean paper usage in the UK and the States etc has decreased due to computers, Kindles etc whilst still seeing a global increase?
Yep – just look at the amount of junk mail that drops on the floor everyday. Look at the packaging of everything. Solicitors and the NHS must account for 75% off all paper use in Britain alone. I tried to go paperless 7 years ago, investing in software and changing procedures etc. The paper usage is the same now as it was then. I am still invoiced by paper. The HMRC insists I keep paper records of everything. Total and utter bullshit.
Get rid of fax machines and we’ll be on for a good start on reducing paper usage.
Next time you’re at the supermarket and you’re asked “Paper or Plastic”, perhaps “Paper” isn’t as good an answer as you thought.
What Supermarket is that then?
Dunno but I’ve seen it on TV
All the ones around here just give you plastic.
What TV did is that then?