Two Sides celebrates Earth Day with a free infographic

Two Sides North America has released an engaging infographic that presents key facts about the relationship between paper and sustainable forestry and encourages people to share it in celebration of Earth Day this Wednesday, April 22. The wise use of the world’s forests is critical to our survival and a healthy environment. “We’re often led to believe that using paper is bad for the environment and that forest practices always lead to eroded lands and fewer trees – not so in North America,” said the organization.
The Two Sides infographic illustrates that: forests in Canada and the U.S. grow significantly more wood than is harvested each year; most paper is made using wood by-products (chips) from the lumber industry and recycled paper rather than whole trees which are typically used for lumber production; and finally, wood from well-managed forests is a sustainable resource that’s renewable, recyclable and can be planted, grown, harvested and replanted.
Over the past 20 years, the forest industry worldwide has developed a number of respected certification programs that ensure the paper you use has come from a sustainable forest source. These include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and systems endorsed by the international Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certifica­tion (PEFC). When you buy paper and other forest products, said Two Sides North America, look for one of the symbols shown on the infographic and you’ll know you’re supporting responsible forest management practices. “By demanding sustainably produced forest products, we create incentives to properly manage forests and preserve forested lands for future generations,” the organization added.
The Two Sides infographic can be downloaded and shared for free here.
Two Sides is an independent, non-profit organization created to promote the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper. Two Sides is active globally in North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Colombia. Its members span the entire print and paper value chain – including forestry, pulp, paper, inks and chemicals, pre-press, press, finishing, publishing, printing, envelopes and postal operators.