The Myth: Harvesting trees to make paper is bad.

The Fact: Sustainable forest management benefits people and the planet.

While it's true that collecting used paper and recycling it into new products is good for the environment, there's a catch. The wood fibers in paper can be recycled only about five times before they get too weak and break down. That's why we need fresh fiber harvested from responsibly managed forests, too. Using fresh fiber creates a sustainable cycle of high-quality recyclable material to continually replenish recycled fiber. And the paper industry's perpetual use of trees discourages the selloff of land for development, encourages sustainable forestry practices and supports hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.

To make the global fiber cycle work, a continual input of 35% to 65% of fresh wood fiber is needed depending on the grade of paper manufactured. Without fresh wood, the production of paper ceases within six to 18 months depending on the paper grade.

– Metafore (now a division of GreenBlue)
Where profitable, timber management and the revenues it generates can serve as a hedge against the conversion of forest land to other uses such as real estate development, although the extent to which it can actually do so in the face of rapid increases in land values close to urban areas will vary.

– U.S. Forest Service
The US mailing industry provides 8.7 million jobs and $1.1 trillion in sales revenue. The production, distribution and handling of mail (including paper and printing) accounts for over 2 million jobs and over $260 million in sales revenue.

– Direct Communications Group (The Mailing Industry Job Study)

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