Young Paper mulberry tree leaves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In a recent post, “Why You Should Say No To National No-Print Day,” I shared Toshiba’s reasoning behind the day. I also told you about how paper is environmentally-friendly, biodegradable, and recyclable, unlike other materials.
According to an article from PCWorld’s website by Jeff Bertolucci titled “Toshiba Caves to Industry Pressure, Cancels Call for ‘National No-Print Day,’” Toshiba decided to cancel it after raising the ire of two industry groups: Printing Industries of America and Two-Sides.
Here is a short excerpt from the article and quote from Two Sides member Vince Collins.
“Toshiba seems to have ignored the environmental impact of electronic communications. Just saying you are eliminating print and paper really does not mean you are necessarily helping the planet,” wrote Two Sides’ member Vince Collins in a June 13 response to National No-Print Day. “It’s a lot more complex than that. If the alternative is, for example, electronic communication, then what is the environmental impact of this?”
Many companies are “going green” and “saving trees” by going electronic. They claim that by using less paper, they are helping the planet. However, using less paper doesn’t necessarily mean you are saving forests.
Check out one of my earlier posts, “Trees are like Corn,” to get a different view on how trees are like a crop and actually conserve green space. However, trees are much better than corn or any other crop as they reduce carbon dioxide emissions, provide shelter for animals, and provide oxygen.
According to International Paper’s video, tree farms actually preserve green space and nature. Just think what would happen if the demand for paper drastically drops in this electronic age: green space would disappear. Farmers would be forced to sell their land because they would not be able to make enough money. When farmers sell their land, it is usually developers that buy the ground, not other farmers. That once green land is then filled with subdivisions, roads, skyscrapers, and homes. Once a farm becomes developed, the chances of it ever becoming a farm again are slim.
According to Bertolucci’s article, “Collins also took umbrage with another No-Print Day assertion: “Toshiba have linked paper use to deforestation (or killing trees and destroying forests) when, in fact, responsibly made paper can be a sustainable way to communicate.’”
Related articles
- Toshiba Caves to Industry Pressure, Cancels Call for “National No-Print Day’ (pcworld.com)
- Why You Should Say No to National No-Print Day (paperviews.org)
- Two Sides Director Comments on Toshiba Pulling No-Print Campaign (whattheythink.com)
