Reduce Global Paper Consumption
and Promote Fair Access to Paper
- Encourage high utility, low volume paper use and find ways for people currently below the paper poverty line to share the benefits paper can bring.
- Develop and promote creative and innovative systems, designs and technologies that reduce the consumption of fibre and maximise efficiency.
- Proactively work with consumers to educate them to eliminate unnecessary paper consumption.
- Explore alternatives to paper, but understand and avoid negative impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, from plastic, digital, and other alternatives.
Relevant Reports
News and Resources Related to Reducing Consumption
Skip the Slip Report Highlights Leaders and Laggards in Addressing Toxic Receipt Paper
The data are clear: Paper receipts coated in toxic chemicals pose risks to our health and have huge environmental impacts. That’s why Green America is advocating for a wider use of paperless solutions, while also ensuring recyclable, phenol-free paper will be used for...
Sustainability in the case of tissue
At a high level congress "Tissue - Moving Towards Sustainability", major environmental NGOs had discussions with manufacturers and retailers about steps towards responsible production of products like paper for baby nappies (diapers), toilet paper and tissues. The...
There’s a Global Recycling Crisis, and You Can Help
China began enforcing new, very strict standards on what recycling materials are accepted into the country at the beginning of January. The new policy, known as the “National Sword,” bans 24 types of solid waste, including various plastics and unsorted mixed papers,...
This Gift Cuts Clutter, Trims Toxics, and Saves Forests
We have a present for you, one we hope you will love and share. Our partners in cutting paper waste, including the Story of Stuff, the Product Stewardship Institute, Green America, the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and Root...
Three Steps to Ensure Accurate Paper Reduction Messaging
The best way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with paper use is to reduce the use of paper. Many organisations actively work to reduce paper waste, and some promote paper reduction with customers by giving them the option to communicate through...
Cup consciousness: An international day of action on throwaway cups
Civil society organisations around the world are taking action on Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23, 2017 to demonstrate that awareness is growing about the need to avoid using throwaway cups, which cause harm to people, forests, water and the climate. The...
Robin Wood’s Campaign on Cups at BackWerk
Robin Wood is a German environmental organisation that has a strong track record on forest campaigning. They have recently run successful actions focusing on Germany’s biggest bakery chain, BackWerk, including street actions and customer education. They are one of the...
Creating Cup Consciousness
In Tasmania, Australia, Markets for Change is gathering support for a world without throwaway cups, through an exciting movement for ‘Cup Conscious Cafes’. These are cafes who guarantee that customers will always be welcome to bring their own reusable cup for a...
Successful Day of Action on Throwaway Cups and Launch of the Cupifesto
Last week saw a flurry of activity around the world with many EPN member organisations challenging throwaway cups. The launch of our Cupifesto - a manifesto for a world without throwaway cups - was fun and attracted significant attention (see this article in The...
International Day of Action on Throwaway Cups
MEDIA RELEASE: Civil society organisations around the world are taking action on Thursday 29 September 2016 to raise awareness that using throwaway cups causes harm to people, forests, water and the climate. The Environmental Paper Network (EPN) is launching its...
Paper Saving Summit
If you get frustrated by junk mail, paper cups, disposable napkins, catalogues, packaging or pointless photocopying, you need to come to the Paper Saving Summit. On 31 May 2016, people will gather from around the world for a summit about paper saving at Wiston Lodge...
European EPN publishes a threat atlas for new pulp mill expansion
The European Environmental Paper Network has published a new report, Mapping Pulp Mill Expansion: Risks and Recommendations. The report offers a resource for investors and large volume paper buyers concerned about climate and deforestation risk and reflects a rising...
