Calculating and Communicating Your Paper Waste Reduction Impacts
The most impactful way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with society’s paper consumption is to reduce or eliminate wasteful and unnecessary instances of paper use. Many companies and organizations are working to reduce their paper waste in order to reduce their footprint on the planet and are promoting opportunities for their customers to do the same, including by choosing to receive electronic communication methods over paper-based mail.
Recent campaigns from paper industry-funded organizations are alerting companies that any “go green, go paperless” type messaging which encourages customers to select paperless communication may not meet U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines. However, there has never been an enforcement action related to paperless assertions, and there is no indication that these organizations have concerns about stating that source reduction due to paper savings has specific positive environmental impacts. However, the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) firmly supports robust verification of environmental claims and therefore recommends following the 3 steps below as a simple and credible way to substantiate resource savings and marketing claims related to paper waste reduction.
Step 1: Be specific and avoid general statements
To ensure that any claims that are made are truthful and substantiated, instead of using general language like “go green, go paperless” or “go paperless and save trees/help the environment,” we recommend to be more specific in stating the benefits and results of reducing paper consumption. The FTC recommends using marketing claims that are truthful, not misleading, and supported by a reasonable basis of competent and reliable scientific evidence[1]. An easy way to do this is to use the Environmental Paper Network’s?Paper Calculator?to quantify your organization’s estimated environmental savings from reducing paper use and from switching to recycled content paper (see Step 2 to learn more about using the Paper Calculator). Also, EPN recommends that you acknowledge that electronic communications have environmental impacts by noting that the benefits cited are based solely on paper savings.
Here are two examples of specific, substantiated, and properly cited claims:
If 50% of our customers switched to electronic billing, the savings every year would be approximately 200,000 pounds of paper, equivalent to 800,000 pounds of wood or 2,400?trees.?(Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator Version 4. For more information visit?www.papercalculator.org.)
By switching to electronic statements, our customers have saved approximately 2,000 tons of paper annually, equivalent to 48,000 trees. (Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator Version 4. For more information visit www.papercalculator.org.)
You can also safely make statements such as the following:
By choosing e-statements/to go paperless, you can:
Step 2: Cite research to back up your claims using the life cycle assessment estimates of the?Paper Calculator.
The Environmental Paper Network’s Paper Calculator is a free and trusted resource that provides environmental impact estimates for paper waste reduction efforts and can compare the impacts from different paper grades with varying amounts of recycled content. The Paper Calculator is supported by the Environmental Paper Network’s 150+ not-for-profit member organizations. It was originally launched in 2005 and was based on the first ever peer-reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) and analytical report of the impacts of paper production and disposal. This report was produced after several years of study by the Paper Task Force, a voluntary, private-sector initiative that included Environmental Defense Fund, Duke University, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, Prudential Insurance, and Time Inc. The Environmental Paper Network owns and operates the Paper Calculator and a leading independent life cycle assessment firm provides management and consulting expertise. The Paper Calculator is regularly updated with new inputs and information, as well as new advancements in the understanding of the paper lifecycle and evolving topics such as climate change science. The methodology and data sources for the Paper Calculator have been peer-reviewed and are transparently disclosed in a detailed methodology document on the Paper Calculator website. Learn more about the Paper Calculator’s credentials?here.
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Using and citing a respected science-based and independent tool like the Paper Calculator will ensure that your marketing statements are verified and clear, and in full compliance with the FTC and other guidelines. The Environmental Paper Network takes great care to research, update and verify the information in the Paper Calculator with independent sources and stands by the data and environmental impact estimates provided. The Paper Calculator is transparent about the fact that it uses industry averages to make estimates about the environmental impacts of paper (see “terms and conditions” on the Paper Calculator?home page). And as long as users properly cite the Paper Calculator, which is required and noted on the Paper Calculator home page, your statements will be clear and understood as independent and reliable estimates.
Step 3: Keep calm and carry on (the FTC’s actions show that they agree that paper reduction conserves resources).
The FTC does not require use of an LCA to support an environmental claim, so by using the Paper Calculator (which is based on lifecycle assessment) you are actually providing an extra step of verification. Specifically, the Green Guides say “Marketers must ensure that all reasonable interpretations of their claims are truthful, not misleading, and supported by a reasonable basis before they make the claims. In the context of environmental marketing claims, a reasonable basis often requires competent and reliable scientific evidence. Such evidence consists of tests, analyses, research, or studies that have been conducted and evaluated in an objective manner by qualified persons and are generally accepted in the profession to yield accurate and reliable results.“[2]?The Environmental Paper Network is confident that the Paper Calculator meets and exceeds these qualifications.
Reducing our consumption and impact is often challenging, but the Environmental Paper Network believes that through collaboration and helping one another we can advance meaningful solutions and our shared interest in managing our planet’s natural resources sustainably and fairly. We welcome the opportunity to work with any person or organization to ensure that paper sustainability efforts are genuine and clearly communicated because we believe that we’re all on the same side when it comes to reducing wasteful consumption and fostering a healthy planet.
The Environmental Paper Network is here to offer assistance. We can help analyze and strengthen your marketing statements, assist with calculations, review citations for accuracy, and answer questions. Contact us via email at?[email protected]?or phone at 828-251-8558.
Helpful Links:
FTC Issues Revised “Green Guides”: Will Help Marketers Avoid Making Misleading Environmental Claims:?https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/10/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides\
“Environmental Claims – Summary of Green Guides,”?a four-page summary of the changes in the Guides:?https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguidessummary.pdf
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[1]??PART 260– FTC GUIDES FOR THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS page 3.?https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguides.pdf
[2]?PART 260– FTC GUIDES FOR THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS page 3.?https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguides.pdf