h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You have a lot of good stuff to say and I have learnt a few things from what you have said and will put them into use myself. But there are a few things I would like to discuss.

I am a recent convert to environmental issues. As such I am still finding my way. I have however been recycling for many years. My conscience has finally got the better of me and now I really am trying to change the way I live my life. Paper recycling has been a major part of what I have been doing. Maybe I am wrong and maybe Im right. Perhaps you can help.

Firstly with regards paper. Recycling paper is a little problomatic. There may well be considerable by products in the recyling process. Either way under recycled paper or the recycled by product has to be disposed of. I am guessing that this goes straight into landfill. If it doesn't it will have to go into some form of specialist storage. I personally would sooner deal with 4 tons of inky mulch than 10 tons of paper, which is going to bewcome inky pulp when it's dumped in a landfill.

Trees used for the product of wood pulp are from managed forests. They are managed because there is money in it. The only reason for being there is that there is a demand for them. But we demand and demand and demand. We need to start making fewer demands on the environment. A lot of the wood used goes up im smoke, which does not take it out of the carbon cycle. If we demand less, there will be less demand all round. And then fewer requirements for the earth to cope with. This has already happened in Europe, where farmers are now being paid to keep fields fallow, because there has been such success at producing food effectively.
There are sewcondary environmental costs as well. Moving wood pulp and paper costs us in terms of damage to the environment. Recycling helps us keep jobs local and therefore keep taxes down. (on the flip side I suppose this means more consumer spending and more demand. following this to it's logical conclusion, we should make all Americans unemployed ).

The issues are so wide that we cannot begin to comprehend them. I feel that we should stick with recyling paper in as many ways possible to prevent further damagew to the environment.

Sorry to butt in on your conversation, but if
Researcher "201399"
would go back to there own page and then click on the "EDIT PAGE" button and then write a little something about your self, as this will activate your page and then a ACE can come and welcome you there properly
Sorry for interrupting your conversation

Manda