Two Sides Celebrates 10 Years of Busting Paper Myths

The Two Sides campaign is now 10 years old. Created by Martyn Eustace, the campaign to promote the sustainability of print and paper has gone from a small UK campaign group to a huge international organization with offices in 13 countries across five continents.

During those ten years, Two Sides has led the way in promoting the environmental value of print and paper, producing a wide range of print and digital resources for its members, giving the information and materials to dispel the many myths surrounding the use of paper in communications and packaging, helping their businesses to thrive.

A myth that paper is bad for the environment has greatly impacted our industry. Major corporations launched “Go Green – Go Paperless” campaigns. However, paper is one of the few truly sustainable products. Paper is made from wood, a natural resource that is renewable, recyclable and can be managed sustainably.

In North America, paper is recycled more than any other commodity and the benefits include: extending the wood fiber supply; reducing greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding methane emissions (released when paper decomposes in landfills or is incinerated); contributing to carbon sequestration; reducing energy needed for paper production; and saving landfill space. These features, combined with the North American paper industry’s advocacy of responsible forestry practices, certification, the use of renewable biomass and advances in efficient papermaking technology, make paper one of the most sustainable products we use.

The paper industry adheres to respected third-party certification standards, ensuring 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 Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™).

Globally, only about 10% of the world’s forests are certified – the majority of which are in North America. By sourcing certified products from a variety of credible standards, buyers are sending a message that they support sound forestry.

For more information, please download the Two Sides Myths and Facts Booklet.

*Information taken from twosidesna.org*