What unspoken truths define this long-lasting industry? From children scribbling on white sheets of paper to adults printing out those boring documents that nobody reads, paper has been an integral part of our routines for years and years. It's hard to imagine a world without notebooks, receipts or toilet paper, but the production of all these isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
What’s at stake in the paper industry
Have you ever stopped to think about the paper production journey and the environmental impact it has? If not, this is your chance to embark on a mindful tour of the darkness that lies beyond the not-so-innocent pages you write on every day.
Carbon chaos
Surprisingly (or not), the paper industry is responsible for a slice of the carbon pie, contributing a significant 7% to global CO2 emissions - three times more than the entire aircraft industry produces. The guilty parties? An army of machines and factories working non-stop to process the wood, not to mention the environmental cost of transportation.
Excessive tree felling
The paper industry is one of the main players in the never-ending saga of tree felling, contributing heavily to the deforestation that occurs on a global scale every day. This uncontrolled deforestation is a catastrophe for crucial ecosystems and for all living beings, from ants to human beings.
Imagine this scenario: destroyed habitats, a rise in CO2 levels, a drop in vital oxygen and the threatening global warming. The consequences of this enormous loss of trees go far beyond the forest ground.
Water consumption
Let's dive into the water problems of paper making. Producing paper consumes an outrageous amount of water - approximately 10,000 liters to produce a single pack of 500 A4 sheets. Just imagine rivers running dry, animals struggling for their sustenance and communities facing a shortage: that shouldn't be the cost of our paper choices.
Basically, the water channelled to the paper industry is water lost to those who depend on it for their own survival.
The cost to people and wildlife
We can't ignore the human and animal stories connected to tree cutting. Communities are losing more than their trees - they are losing homes, food, medicine and roots. The same goes for animals, which are now being displaced and struggling in unknown territories, and workers who are forced into logging and face terrible conditions.
At this point of our journey, it is clear that we have moved beyond paper and trees. Our choices, as consumers and participants in this conversation, are now driving a tangible impact on the world around us. The narrative has evolved into a call for awareness, asking us to consider the profound consequences implicit in the simple act of choosing paper.
A call to transform the industry
Can the paper game change? Roel, founder of MOYU, says absolutely yes!
That's why MOYU is here - sharing this article with you while fighting paper waste, saving trees and saying no to single-use paper. We're on a mission to save trees by turning stone into a sustainable alternative for everyday notebooks and by planting a tree for every notebook sold.
And in our quest for sustainability, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our steadfast partner, Trees For Kenya, forging a collaborative journey towards a tree-covered future. Join us as we rewrite this story and shape a sector that thrives without compromising the very survival of our planet. Our ultimate big green dream: a circular paper industry that helps plant trees instead of cutting them down.