Paper machines are wonderful places to grow microbial lifeforms.(Warm and wet.) If recycled pulp is used, it requires the use of some of the most poisonous substances known to man, in large quantities, to keep microbial comtamination managable. Papermaking with recycle pulp is much more chemically intense than with virgin pulp. De-inking also requires chemicals, end result, all that isothiazolin, glutaraldehyde, and quaternary amine winds up in the environment. I know, I sell millions of dollars of biocides a year. I love when a mill decides to use recycle pulp.
Firs this -
Paper machines are wonderful places to grow microbial lifeforms.(Warm and wet.) If recycled pulp is used, it requires the use of some of the most poisonous substances known to man, in large quantities, to keep microbial comtamination managable. Papermaking with recycle pulp is much more chemically intense than with virgin pulp. De-inking also requires chemicals, end result, all that isothiazolin, glutaraldehyde, and quaternary amine winds up in the environment. I know, I sell millions of dollars of biocides a year. I love when a mill decides to use recycle pulp. And second - trees are the best example of harvesting for use. I don't espouse using "ancient" wood, like redwoods, I assume, but growing trees, harvesting them and using them for paper is the best example of renewable resources America has. Paper companies manage the forests the best of any company utilizing any of our natural resources.
Printing on recycled paper, as "Comus" has commented is incredibly chemical intensive. The paper companies have it right - harvest and planting new trees are a finely tuned balance they have perfected. People get all crazy about "recycling" without finding out about the chemical cost. We all need to educate ourselves on what is energy- and CHEMICAL-conservation.
Using plastic grocery bags, and recycling them, means that they are used in shoes, packaging and other reusable products. Using paper and recyling it means toxic chemicals used in the process, to get rid of microbes in the paper products.
Choose carefully at the grocery store on your next visit. And, oh yeah, at the bookstore!