PAPER TALK

PAPER TALK

There’s no day in our life when we did not use paper or even touch it. From newspaper, magazine, books, tissue, product labels, receipts, paper bags, up to money. Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets. Paper, and the pulp papermaking process, was said to be developed in China during the early 2nd century AD by the Han court eunuch Cai Lun, although the earliest archaeological fragments of paper derive from the 2nd century BC in China

We may sometimes ignore the use of paper but do you know that it has many interesting facts? Here are some.

   The paper industry is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries, and contributes 9% of the manufacturing sector's carbon emissions.

   42% of the industrial wood harvest is used to make paper.

   Paper accounts for 25% of landfill waste (and one third of municipal landfill waste).

   If the United States cut office paper use by just 10% it would prevent the emission of 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases -- the equivalent of taking 280,000 cars off the road.

   Compared to using virgin wood, paper made with 100% recycled content uses 44% less energy, produces 38% less greenhouse gas emissions, 41% less particulate emissions, 50% less wastewater, 49% less solid waste and -- of course -- 100% less wood.

   Demand for recycled paper will exceed supply by 1.5 million tons of recycled pulp per year within 10 years.

   While the paper industry invests in new recycled newsprint and paper packaging plants in the developing world, almost none of the new printing and writing paper mills use recycled content.

   China, India and the rest of Asia are the fastest growing per-capita users of paper, but they still rank far behind Eastern Europe and Latin America (about 100 pounds per person per year), Australia (about 300 pounds per person per year) and Western Europe (more than 400 pounds per person per year).

   The Forest Stewardship Council's certification of sustainable forestry practices is growing, with 50% of the paper product market share and 226 million acres accounted for. Advocates say the demand for recycled paper and sustainably harvested pulp from consumers, advertisers, magazine makers and other users of paper will yield the fastest reforms of the industry.

   The invention of the paper airplane is mystery, but Leonardo Di Vinci is often given credit for the feat.

   According to the Paper Aircraft Association, a paper airplane thrown in space will not fly; it will float in a straight line. Unless it hits an object, it could literally float forever.

   Arthur Scott was the first to introduce the paper towel for kitchens in 1931. It was thirteen inches wide and eighteen inches long. Tissue paper is lightweight, and made of multiple layers for better absorption.

   Most of the paper wasted is high grade paper. Newspaper can be recycled into egg cartons, game boards, new newspaper, gift boxes, animal bedding, insulation and packaging material. Office paper is recycled into paper towels, tissue paper and toilet paper.