Greening Graphic Design - The Graphic Design: Reference and Specification - page 157

f i b e r s o u r c i n g a n d pa p e r p ro d u c t i o n
The harvesting of trees for pulp production and the conversion of pulp into finished paper
are responsible for the bulk of the negative environmental impact made by the paper
industry. Paper production and the sourcing of fiber are two of the most important areas
to target when adopting sustainable design practices.
Ideally, the paper that you choose should be produced with a combination of post-
consumer recycled content and virgin fiber from sustainably managed forests (FSC
certified). It should be made without the use of elemental chlorine by a company that
uses renewable energy. Targeting these areas may be as simple as comparing different
sheet specifications with a knowledgeable printer. However, understanding the touch
points for paper production and forestry can make the process easier especially since the
minimum criteria for sustainable production are neither stable nor clearly defined.
Sustainable Forestry and the FSC
Each year, thousands of acres of forestland are felled and/or burned for use by the
timber industry to make way for agriculture, and to satisfy growing global demand for
land by urban populations. CO 2 emissions generated by deforestation make up 20 percent
of the annual total. Discontinuing the use of virgin tree fiber (fiber that comes directly from
its organic source) in paper production might seem to be the best way to combat defores-
tation and illegal logging. However, there is currently no crop that has proven to be a viable
alternative to fiber from wood sources.
Domtar, a paper company based in Montreal, Canada, uses sustainable logging practices when harvesting trees for pulp and paper
production. After timber is harvested, sites are prepared and seeded from the air for regeneration of the Jack pine forest. The seed
to regenerate these sites is obtained by cone collectors from the tops of trees felled on cuts. To help maintain natural genetic
adaptations in regenerating forest stands, the seed or planting stock produced from the harvested cones is returned to the original
ecological seed zone.