THREE REASONS WHY PAPER RECYCLING HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT

(AND ONE REASON IT’S GOOD FOR YOU) Paper recycling has become a key factor rolling back climate change as it continues to wreak havoc upon the environment . We’ve seen the stories on extreme weather conditions across the world. Even Britain, with its temperate climate, has seen flooding, record heat levels, and storms, such as the Beast from the East, that dwarfed those that came before. Now, more than ever, people are aware of the responsibility that we carry to make this planet habitable, for us and those that come after. But why is paper specifically so important to saving the environment? piled up towers of bundles of carboard with sunny sky PAPER RECYCLING PREVENTS DEFORESTATION Paper recycling lessens, and even rolls back the destruction of our forests. Deforestation is one of the leading factors of climate change. We can cut our fossil fuel use all we like, but without forests to reabsorb the carbon dioxide that we have already produced in excess, the symptoms of climate change will continue to exist. The more paper we reuse, the less we have to make from scratch by cutting down trees for pulp. By recycling our paper, we can keep as many trees in the ground as possible, locking the C02 inside with it. ENERGY EFFICIENT It is also much more energy efficient. Recycling paper requires roughly 50% less energy than it does to create fresh paper from trees. That’s less energy spend in terms of cost and less fuel used in the machinery needed to cut down and harvest the trees in the first place. So, why wouldn’t we recycle paper if it’s both cheaper and better for the environment? CUTS DOWN ON WASTE The world is brimming with rubbish. Landfills and tips overflow with non-recyclable and, tragically, recyclable goods that people couldn’t or wouldn’t put to their best use. We have found ourselves in an age of 120ft-high mountains of rubbish. Great floating islands of garbage drift across the pacific ocean. And so much of it is filled with paper. Recycling is a huge part of what needs to be done to fix this. For the time being, some goods simply cannot be recycled and we need space to put this waste. It is in everyone’s best interest that this space not be filled with a material that is cheaper and more energy efficient to recycle than replace. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU The recycling business has only just begun to hit its stride and it is already making dividends for the conscientious business owner. Capital allowances and tax benefits for environmentally sensitive businesses already provide a host of financial incentives towards going green and recycling your paper. Additionally, these cost reductions are now beginning to seriously cut down on the costs of production. For businesses, it means more profit both coming and going. For consumers, it lowers the cost of paper and paper-packaged goods.

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