Putting Myths To Rest: Green In All Grades Makes The New Case For Recycled Paper In Magazines

A Fresh "Green Paper" Debunks Myths and Supports a Sustainable Publishing Industry

DENVER, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Green America Better Paper Project released its latest "green paper," Green in All Grades, which debunks recent myths and proves that recycled paper is always the best environmental choice, especially when used in magazines.

Green in All Grades dissects the key arguments from recycled paper detractors so that paper purchasers can best understand and remain confident and comfortable that purchasing and using recycled paper is the best choice for the environment, climate, and people. In fact, the benefits are wide-ranging from mitigating climate change impacts to creating more jobs while also protecting biodiversity and improving air and water quality.

Frank Locantore, the director of the Better Paper Project, remarked, "Over the past few years, we've heard a lot of misinformation and unsubstantiated claims that recycled paper is a poor environmental choice for magazine paper, so we wanted to clear up confusion and present science-based facts to support magazines that want to do the right thing for the planet by using recycled paper."

Green in All Grades proves:

• There is no shortage of wastepaper available for recovery and recycling, so there's no need to allocate recycled content to only certain paper grades.
• When comparing the same grade of paper ("apples to apples"), recycled paper environmentally outshines its virgin counterpart.
• The greatest environmental savings occur when recovered paper is used to make recycled printing-writing paper, instead of recycled newsprint or packaging.
• Adding "request" to "reduce, reuse, recycle" can spur more paper recycling and a green manufacturing industry to support thousands of jobs.
• Collaboration between industry and non-profit organizations is the solution to growing a green and profitable magazine industry.

Scientists have estimated that human activity has degraded almost 80 percent of what remains of the planet's forests. Producing more virgin paper, which requires further harming our natural ecosystems, is not a sustainable solution to the growing global paper demand. However, a solution is within reach – utilizing the vast reserves of recoverable paper that are not currently being collected and turned into recycled paper.

To help magazine publishers stand out as environmental leaders, Green in All Grades offers a step-by-step plan to increase the recycled content in their magazines, attract green consumers and support a sustainable 21st century economy.

Green in All Grades can be downloaded here: http://betterpaper.ning.com/page/green-in-all-grades-recycled-paper-for-magazines 

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA'S BETTER PAPER PROJECT

Green America is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. Green America's Better Paper Project is creating a greener magazine industry in the US and has assisted over 150 publishers in selecting environmentally responsible papers for their magazines. For more information, visit: http://www.greenamerica.org and http://www.betterpaper.org.

SOURCE Green America, Washington, DC