greenpiece: The Life and Death of Paper

Paper is by far the largest component of solid waste in landfills.

Fortunately, most of this paper can be recovered and re-used for recycled paper products and other uses. However, any of that paper that can be recovered, but isn't, may have everyone paying dearly, economically and environmentally.

A Charlottesville, Virginia-based nonprofit Metafore along with associations, manufacturers, paper buyers, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations across the paper supply chain are here to help soften the blow.

Metafore, an organization that specializes in working with businesses to implement innovations relating to evaluating, selecting and manufacturing environmentally-preferable wood and paper products, and the other stakeholders recently created a comprehensive online resource that will enable companies and customers to make more informed environmental decisions about the paper products they purchase, use and sell.

The Paper Life Cycle, as the tool is dubbed, details critical environmental issues from the forest through paper manufacturing process, end-use and recovery in a science-based and interactive format.

The website, www.thepaperlifecycle.org, was developed to help companies make informed purchasing decisions by providing environmental information to paper buyers and sellers.

"We found there was a need in the marketplace for information about the many environmental considerations across the life cycle of paper," said Tom Pollock, senior program manager of Metafore, a program of the nonprofit sustainability institute GreenBlue.

The website features in-depth articles, trend reports and guidance on key questions facing paper manufacturers and buyers. Discussion topics include climate change, forest practice management, recycling, illegal logging, energy use, product performance and other 
issues relevant to environmental stewardship internationally—from forest management strategies in the Tropics to recovery initiatives in North America.

Several paper and forestry experts provided and reviewed content for the website including, the World Resources Institute (WRI), National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Procter & Gamble, Canfor Pulp, Catalyst Paper, Boise, Sappi Fine Paper, Time Inc., 3M and members of the Corporate Forum on Paper and the Environment.