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Issues: Green Living

The Paper Business, Present and Future
This index of information on paper and forestry shows where there's room for improvement, and why there's hope ahead.

The pulp and paper industry is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on the planet, razing trees, polluting waterways and destroying precious wildlife habitat. Pulp and paper mills that use virgin timber are major generators of hazardous air pollutants, including dioxins and other cancer-causing chemicals. But the paper industry can change the way it works –- in fact, there are signs that the industry could be shifting toward more ecologically friendly practices. The documents in this index provide background information on current industry practices and also outline a vision for a more sustainable future for the paper industry.

Use your wallet to change industry's bad practices.

Smart paper is smart business. Find out how.

Harmful Impacts of the Paper Industry

Kimberly-Clark: Flushing Forests Down the Toilet (pdf)
Fact Sheet
Paper giant Kimberly-Clark, maker of Kleenex and Scott, is destroying ancient forests to make disposable paper products.

Logging Pushes Alberta Caribou Herds Toward Extinction (pdf)
Fact Sheet
The demand for old-growth trees from ancient forests, fueled by paper companies, is destroying vital habitat for threatened caribou.

Paper and Pulp Industry Lays Waste to Virgin Kenogami Forest (pdf)
Fact Sheet
Suppliers of paper giant Kimberly-Clark are clearcutting forest in northern Ontario, threatening caribou and other rare wildlife.

Practices for Sustainable Forestry and Paper Industries

Good Wood: How Forest Certification Helps the Environment
FAQ
Forest certification is a seal of approval for wood and paper products, allowing consumers to use their buying power for good.

Don't Buy SFI
Website
Don't be fooled by the so-called Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a certification and marketing program for wood and paper products sponsored by the timber industry.

Ecological Components of Endangered Forests (pdf)
Fact Sheet
Find out exactly what makes a forest an endangered forest, according to guidelines developed by several leading conservation groups, including NRDC.

A Common Vision for Transforming the Paper Industry (pdf)
Document
This document, drafted by several environmental groups, sets forth goals for pulp and paper manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers and governments to work toward an environmentally and socially sustainable paper production and consumption system.

Backgrounder: Cumberland Plateau Forest Agreement
Press Backgrounder
A historic agreement between paper giant Bowater, NRDC and the Dogwood Alliance establishes a new model for ecologically protective forestry in the Southeast.

Getting Mercury Out of Paper Production
Fact Sheet
The paper industry has an important role to play in reducing toxic mercury pollution.

Avoiding Chlorine in the Paper Bleaching Process
Fact Sheet
Recommendations for safer ways to brighten and whiten paper.