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Carbon

There are fixed amounts of carbon in the earth and in its atmosphere. The carbon from the atmosphere is constantly moving through a variety of forms in a series of exchanges. For example, when a tree conducts photosynthesis, it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. When a tree dies and decays, carbon is eventually returned to the air as CO2. When a factory uses energy to make goods, carbon from fossil fuels or bio-fuels are released into the atmosphere. There is a continual series of exchanges of carbon between the earth, oceans and the atmosphere. This process is called the carbon cycle. In nature, there is equilibrium of carbon released and absorbed within the atmosphere. Many manmade processes add carbon dioxide from fossil fuels to the atmosphere which shifts the equilibrium of the carbon cycle.

Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc. Carbon footprints are useful in showing how activities and products contribute to global climate change. Carbon footprints are calculated as the total amount of carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide equivalents represented by a product or process. They can be calculated at an industrial level or at an individual level. This can be from carbon dioxide released from transportation or in manufacturing processes. Like an industry, the paper industry has a carbon footprint and it is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint through manufacturing efficiencies, increasing the use of bio-fuels and reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Reducing carbon footprints requires a focus on efficiency and usage of renewable energy sources. The first step is to reduce energy consumption. The second step is to utilize energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and bio-fuels whenever possible. If reducing a carbon footprint is not feasible or has already reached its limit, carbon offsetting is an available alternative. Carbon offsetting is a means of financially mitigating impact. For example, if a company produces ten tons of carbon dioxide, it may pay to support programs that will prevent ten tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Examples of offsetting include supporting reforestation projects, alternative energy programs or destruction of industrial pollutants. Because the paper industry supports tree planting and sustainable forest management, it offsets much of the carbon dioxide released during the paper production.

Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration is the process of removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and storing it as carbon in plants during plant growth. During photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and carbohydrates. The carbon from CO2 is transferred into the biomass of the tree as wood. A carbon sink occurs when more carbon is sequestered out of the atmosphere than is released.

Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas. Rising levels of carbon dioxide have been correlated with global climate change. Tree can moderate this phenomenon by storing large amounts of carbon. Sequestration increases in growing trees until they reach seven years of age. After seven years, the amount of carbon sequestration plateaus.

Sequestered carbon remains in wood as long as the wood is not broken down or decays. Carbon in wood products used for construction and furniture can remain sequestered indefinitely. While the life of paper products may not be as long as solid wood products, paper does sequester carbon for years while the paper products are in use.

Responsible forest management by various groups, including the paper industry ensures, continual forest growth and carbon sequestration. While carbon dioxide is always sequestered from the atmosphere, more is continually being added. Reducing manufacturing emissions, waste and overruns is just as important as managing forest growth.

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