Does recycled paper really make a difference to the environment?
More than 200 million trees are saved every year as a result of recycling efforts. The manufacturing of recycled paper produces 74 percent less air pollution and 35 percent less water pollution, and requires 64 percent less energy. I read that Americans use 67 million tons of paper a year — about 600 pounds per person — which is more than any other country in the world, and most of it goes directly to landfills. Why do we have to wait until spring? The paper is available immediately without a watermark, but it will take a couple of months to create and manufacture the new watermark. If you are about to run out of stationery, it makes sense to order a six-month supply of unwatermarked bond to get you through until the watermarked version is available. A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on February 7, 2001.
