On average the United States alone uses around 67 million trees a year to create various paper based products. In the last 2 decades the usage of such products has increased by 126%, up from 92 million tons to 208 million tons of paper. Wow. Even in this age of the electronic device, phones, computers, e-readers, etc, paper usage has gone up.
28% of solid trash is made up of paper waste and is one of the single largest contributors to landfills in the U.S. Since there is no sign of this statistic changing any time soon, the urgency of increasing our sustainability efforts becomes clear. In 2015 it’s estimated that around 5% of all industrial pollution was caused by the paper industry; that’s about 79,000 tons a year. These emissions enter the environment through several different means and quantities. 66% is released into the air, 24% gets discarded onto the land, and 10% enters the water system. Despite these progress is being made.
How Recycling Paper is Helping
Proper recycling of paper represents 66% of the total recycling effort in the United States. This mass effort has no down side. Not only does it save space in our landfills for the non recyclable waste, it also means fewer landfills need to be opened. The resources needed to convert recycled paper back into usable products also uses up less energy and water. One ton of paper, when properly recycled, saves around 7000 gallons of water, and saves the equivalent of six months worth of power usage for the average U.S. home.
That same ton of recycled paper also saves around 17 trees, and reduces greenhouse gasses. Live trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, acting not only as natural air filters but also oxygen factories. Since all of those things benefit us, and the whole planet, maximizing the amount of healthy trees around really is critical. There really is no down side, and as you can see the numbers add up fast.
Paper Shredding Helps
When you make sure of a professional paper shredder service, you will be directly contributing to the paper recycling effort, in addition to keeping your private information safe. All shredded material is taken away to be recycled into brand new products. This has the effect of reducing the amount of waste that goes to the landfill as well as lowering the amount of trees that will need to be cut down in order to create new paper products. If you’re ready to help with sustainability while keeping private information safe, or if you need some more reasons as to why you should shred, Tri-State Shredding can help you.
Reach out to us and let us know what your needs are. We will work with you to keep your private information safe while supporting sustainability efforts.
Call: 717-233-5606