Joshua Martin, Kelly Sheehan Recognized as Conservation Leaders

The Environmental Paper Network's own Joshua Martin received some much deserved recognition as a “Life Leader” in this month’s New Life Journal, the Southeast region’s healing and natural foods magazine. Check out the article here http://www.newlifejournal.com/oct08/lifes_leaders_joshua_martin_environmental_paper_network.shtml.

Keeping it in the family, Kelly Sheehan (Joshua's wife) was also recognized this month when she was nominated for “Outstanding Leader” at the Roosevelt-Ashe Society’s Conservation Awards and Gala for her work to protect the Southeast’s wild places.

Congratulations to Joshua & Kelly! Cora will be very, very proud -- and when she can talk she will thank you both for protecting the all of the special forests she gets to explore!

UVM says 'no' to Kimberly Clark

University of Vermont students have successfully made a change for the better in their bathrooms. A student activist group:

...recently celebrated a public victory by removing all Kimberly-Clark custodial products such as Scott brand toilet paper from campus...

According to the student newspaper, the Cynic.

They have also managed to convince the university to get all recycled products for their 'custodial' needs. Congratulations to them.

Old Growth Forest Is a Big Carbon Sink

The next time someone tells you that clearcutting forests is a good thing because very young trees absorb more carbon than old growth forests, show them what science says. In a new study, published in Nature, a study analyzing more than 500 forests around the world settles the question once and for all.

When developing a paper procurement policy or organizational climate initiative, its important to take steps to ensure you are not unknowingly contributing to the loss of old growth or the conversion of natural forests to industrial tree plantations. Get ahead of the curve now.

Greener Packaging for the Music Industry?

As Dogwood Alliance continues to educate consumers and companies about the impacts of irresponsible packaging, particularly on the forests of the Southern United States, there are good indications the industry is taking notice and starting to move. An article today on the GreenerDesign blog talks about what's happening. Here's a quote from an executive at Warner Music Group:

“Environmentally responsible behavior is good for corporate America,” said John Esposito, president and CEO of WEA Corp., Warner Music Group’s U.S. sales and retail marketing company. “It’s smart ecology and smart economics. For Warner Music Group, it has proven to lower the cost of paper procurement and waste as well as strengthening employee morale because they feel a part of this larger effort.”

A lot of companies are seeing how reducing paper use, increasing recovery, and paying better attention to what's in their paper they purchase can give them real savings and strengthen their brand. For tips on reducing paper use to save money, click here.

DC Comics, Recycled Paper Superhero?

There's been a bit of action in the comic book sector of our paper planet, and hopefully, more to come.

Last week, DC comics announced in a post on Blog@Newsarama, some environmental improvements to some of their paper. Congratulations to DC Comics for taking leadership in moving the industry forward, and thanks. The announcement, from President Paul Levitz, states they were, "able to switch a number of our kids’ titles to a recycled newsprint paper stock, made from 85% post consumer waste and most of the Vertigo line to a recycled hibrite paper that is made from 40% post-consumer waste."

Hopefully this is an indication of even more good announcements to come from DC Comics, and continued increase of recycled content in all their comic book lines. However, there is one piece (actually, its in the headline of the post) that they seem to have received some bad advice on: their choice of forestry certification. As has been discussed many times in the Paper Planet, the only credible forestry certification scheme supported by a broad range of conservation organizations is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The blog post states that DC Comics is considering certification of its remaining virgin fiber in its catalogs to the standards of the inferior, less credible system, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). To be a true comic book industry leader, they should be choosing the FSC, and we hope they will look into it.

In a similar trend, Archie Comics announced in June it would publish its upcoming "Freshman Year" series on recycled paper, though it is unclear if it is 100% recycled or another amount. Though it no longer does, Archie Comics used to print ALL its comics on 100% recycled paper. Bring it back, Archie!

For more reading on comic books and the environment, check out this Comic Foundry article.

The French Government has pledged to shrink its paper consumption by 50%

Congratulations to the French government, which has pledged to reduce its paper consumption by half by 2012. In November 2008 it will host a seminar to discuss how this commitment can be put into practice and replicated in other European countries. By pledging a 50% cut in paper consumption France has demonstrated understanding that Europe's environmental footprint is twice what the planet can sustain, and also shown the political will to act upon that understanding. France currently has the presidency of Europe, and is thus in an excellent position to lead its European neighbours towards more sustainable consumption.

The French target can be found first in the 2007 National Action Plan for Sustainable Public Procurement, and it was recently reinforced by the undertakings of the Environment Round Table (Grenelle de l’Environnement). A White Paper on the implementation of the Environment Round Table (Title IV, Article 42, line c) states: "[The Government’s objective] between now and 2012 is to achieve a 50% reduction in paper consumption by its departments."

The same White Paper also includes the following commitment: "By 2012, only recycled paper – or paper obtained from sustainably-managed forests – will be used."

The seminar in November will feature the Shrink Project. It is being organised jointly by Amis De La Terre (Friends of the Earth, France) and the French government. For more details see here: http://www.amisdelaterre.org/Colloque-Consommation-et-achat.html