The sustainability of paper: a campus tree walk brochure case study

Abstract

The use of paper has been a topic of environmental contention for many years with many people being told to limit their paper use all together. In this research, a case study of a paper brochure made from FSC Certified Mix paper illustrating a Campus Tree Walk on the SUNY New Paltz was conducted to get a better idea of the sustainability of paper. Main questions asked include, are FSC Certified Mix paper products carbon neutral, how does the paper choice affect the exogenous/endogenous carbon cycle, what percentage of the United States' wood product production is printing papers? After reading the FSC Forest Management Standards and researching the US production of wood and paper products in 2018, it was determined that FSC Certified Mix paper can be considered carbon neutral and reduce emissions associated with non-recycled paper products, and the paper used to produce the brochures makes up a small portion of the US total wood product production. Keywords: Environmental Geochemical Science, paper, SUNY New Paltz, sustainability, campus tree walk, FSC Forest Management Standards, FSC Certified Mix paper, sustained yield, exogenous carbon sources, endogenous carbon sources, recycled paper, carbon neutral, brochure