Consumers who want to make environmentally conscious choices are faced with an overwhelming amount of information. It can be tricky to separate fact from greenwashing. For example, businesses may encourage customers to ‘go paperless’ to save trees. These unsubstantiated claims about print and paper have a negative effect on consumer perceptions about paper.
Resolute is a member of Two Sides, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to busting myths about the sustainability of print and paper. In 2010, Two Sides embarked on a mission to tackle greenwashing . Since then, they have worked with over 500 organizations, including some of the world’s largest corporations, to change or remove misleading environmental claims about paper. 2019 was their busiest year to date – of 388 organizations found to be making unsubstantiated claims, Two Sides’ outreach resulted in 131 organizations removing or changing their messaging.
Phil Riebel, president of Two Sides North America, says, “Not only are these claims misleading and in breach of advertising rules, they also ignore the growing and significant environmental impact of today’s massive electronic infrastructure. Far from ‘saving trees,’ a healthy market for forest products such as paper encourages the long-term sustainable management and growth of forests. Many of the organizations we engage with are always surprised to learn that net forest growth in the U.S. is equivalent to over 1,500 NFL football fields per day.”
Responsibly-produced paper is made from a plentiful and completely renewable resource – trees. We use trees as efficiently as possible, harvesting primarily for lumber, and producing other products, such as paper, with the rest of the tree. Paper is, of course, recyclable as well. The forest products industry is at the forefront of efforts to reduce waste, manage forests responsibly and even mitigate climate change. The industry is also exploring new, innovative products.
To learn more about the sustainability of print and paper, please visit our website .
