The Green Team Blog

Green Issues in the Paper Making Industry

SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY

Q. What is sustainable forestry?

A. Sustainable forestry provides a way of using forest products to meet people’s ever increasing needs without degrading forest ecosystems. These practices ensure that forestlands retain their economic value for the long term.

Q. How do trees impact climate change?

A. Trees naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air and store (sequester) it as carbon in the plant material and in the surrounding soil. During photosynthesis, tree foliage also removes from the atmosphere other chemicals, such as nitrogen oxides, airborne ammonia, some sulfur dioxide, and ozone, that are part of the smog and greenhouse effect problems. Of course, a tree's ability to offset carbon emissions is determined by average tree size, canopy cover, health, and age, but large trees can help lower annual carbon emissions in the atmosphere by 2 to 3 percent. (Source: http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/articles/misc/plntclar.html) Over the last 300 years, the activities of humans, such as the burning of fossil fuels and vegetation clearing, have lead to a large increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases trap longwave radiation from the earth’s surface and heat the planet. Global warming may be combated by removing CO2 from the atmosphere and temporarily, for the tree’s life, storing the carbon. (Source: www.greenhouse.crc.org.au/tools/calculators/treecarbon/treecarboninfo.cfm)

Q. Who is the Rainforest Alliance? Who is the Forest Stewardship Council?

A. The Rainforest Alliance was established in 1987 with a mission to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. (www.rainforest-alliance.org) The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was founded by a diverse group of industry and environmental stakeholders, including the Rainforest Alliance, to develop a consistent, comprehensive and reliable set of third-party certification standards, and to ensure that they are universally recognized. The Rainforest Alliance is accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council, which they helped to establish in 1993. (www.fsc.org) SmartWood is the certification arm of the Rainforest Alliance and is accredited by the FSC. SmartWood has 12 regional offices and works with land owners and managers in over 50 countries to ensure that the wood and pulp they harvest comes from sustainably managed forests where wildlife and wildlands are protected and workers and neighboring communities are treated with respect. FSC certification is carried out by the SmartWood’s global network of regional offices and partners, as well as other certifiers.

Q. What is the mission of the Forest Stewardship Council?

A. The mission of the Forest Stewardship Council is to promote and enhance well-managed forests through credible certification that is environmentally responsible, socially acceptable, and economically viable. A study, titled The Global Impact of SmartWood Certification, published in June 2005 by Deanna Newsom and Daphne Hewitt of the Rainforest Alliance, finds that rapid growth of FSC and Rainforest Alliance certification has benefited both the environment and people. The study revealed that forest certification is a catalyst for change. A summary of the main findings include: • SmartWood certification does change they way certified forestry operations address environmental, social, economic, forest management and systems issues • Certification addresses social issues: worker safety, training, and communication and conflict resolution with stakeholders. • Certification addresses environmental issues: aquatic and riparian areas, sensitive sites and high conservation forests, and threatened and endangered species. • Certification addresses systems issues: management plans, monitoring, chain of custody and inventory.

Q. What are the Forest Stewardship Council’s ten principles for forest management?

A. PRINCIPLE #1: COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND FSC PRINCIPLES Forest management shall respect all applicable laws of the country in which they occur, and international treaties and agreements to which the country is a signatory, and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria.

PRINCIPLE #2: TENURE AND USE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Long-term tenure and use rights to the land and forest resources shall be clearly defined, documented and legally established.

PRINCIPLE #3: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS The legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples to own, use and manage their lands, territories, and resources shall be recognized and respected.

PRINCIPLE #4: COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND WORKER’S RIGHTS Forest management operations shall maintain or enhance the long-term social and economic well being of forest workers and local communities.

PRINCIPLE # 5: BENEFITS FROM THE FOREST Forest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest’s multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits.

PRINCIPLE #6: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated values, water resources, soils, and unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes, and, by so doing, maintain the ecological functions and the integrity of the forest.

PRINCIPLE #7: MANAGEMENT PLAN A management plan -- appropriate to the scale and intensity of the operations -- shall be written, implemented, and kept up to date. The long-term objectives of management, and the means of achieving them, shall be clearly stated.

PRINCIPLE #8: MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT Monitoring shall be conducted -- appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management -- to assess the condition of the forest, yields of forest products, chain of custody, management activities and their social and environmental impacts.

PRINCIPLE # 9: MAINTENANCE OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS Management activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests. Decisions regarding high conservation value forests shall always be considered in the context of a precautionary approach.

PRINCIPLE # 10: PLANTATIONS Plantations shall be planned and managed in accordance with Principles and Criteria 1 - 9, and Principle 10 and its Criteria. While plantations can provide an array of social and economic benefits, and can contribute to satisfying the world’s needs for forest products, they should complement the management of, reduce pressures on, and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests.

Q. What is Chain of Custody Certification as it pertains to the Forest Stewardship Council?

A. Chain of Custody (COC) certification is a way of tracking paper throughout its life cycle, from the forest to the point of sale. COC Certification is available for any operation that processed cut wood, such as sawmills, secondary manufacturers, broker/distributors, wholesalers, retailers, printers, paper merchants and other points in the supply chain. As stated on the FSC Website, any FSC-labeled product can be traced back to a certified source. This aspect of the system is the basis for any credible certification system and is the link between consumer preference and responsible, on-the-ground forest management. Companies managing the forests mush show they are harvesting fiber and managing their resources so as to preserve the environment, protect biodiversity, and ensure the responsible treatment of employees and indigenous peoples. For paper distributors and merchants, FSC COC Certification requires a comprehensive documentation control system to track FSC Certified paper from the time it is received until the time it is shipped, with the ability to show that it has been segregated from non-FSC papers.

Q. Can you briefly explain the Forest Stewardship Council’s on-product labels?

Three primary categories for FSC on-product labeling exist: FSC 100%: Products with an FSC 100% label originate entirely from forests certified as meeting the environmental and social standards of FSC. FSC Recycled: Products with an FSC Recycled label support re-use of forest resources and use only post-consumer recycled wood or fiber in accordance with FSC standards. FSC Mixed Sources: Products with an FSC Mixed Sources label support the development of responsible forest management worldwide. The wood comes from FSC-certified well-managed forests, company controlled sources and/or recycled material. Company controlled sources are controlled, in accordance with FSC standards, to exclude illegally harvested timber, forests where high conservation values are threatened, genetically modified organisms and violation of people’s civil and traditional rights. (Source: FSC Label ID for Printers 11Nov05.ppt)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Q. What is Green-e Certification?

A. Green-e is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions in the retail market. It has three certification programs: Green-e Climate is a voluntary certification program launched in 2007 that sets consumer-protection and environmental-integrity standards for greenhouse gas(GHG) emission reductions sold in the voluntary market. Green-e Energy is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy. Green-e Marketplace is a program that allows companies to display the logo when they have purchased a qualifying amount of renewable energy and passed our verification standards.

Q. Why is Renewable Energy better?

A. Every time you switch on your lights, or use any electrical device, natural resources are consumed to generate the electricity that you use. A staggering 98 percent1 of electricity in the United States comes from non-renewable resources such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. Using non-renewable resources to create electricity produces more harmful emissions linked to global warming than any other human activity. The remaining two percent of U.S. electricity generated from clean, renewable resources—such as wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro-electric and biomass—produce dramatically less air pollution and have significantly smaller environmental impacts.

Q. What is a Renewable Energy Credit (REC)?

A. A REC represents the environmental attribute or benefit of renewable electricity generation (usually one credit = one kilowatt-hour), not the actual energy. RECs are typically purchased from someone other than your electricity provider. What you pay for is the benefit of adding renewable energy generation to the national grid. Thus a REC purchase does not directly offset traditional energy production in your local region, nor does it result in local environment benefits.

Q. I’ve read that Neenah Paper purchases Green-e Certified energy from their local Wisconsin utility, We Energies. What are the benefits of Neenah Paper making a local purchase?

A. Please read the following response provided to Neenah Paper from We Energies, a subsidiary of Wisconsin Energy Corporation: “We [Wisconsin Energy Corporation’s We Energies] believe a local purchase of certified renewable energy is a stronger, more direct message to both customers and employees about Neenah Paper’s commitment to improving the local environment, reducing green house gas emissions, and helping to build more sustainable energy resources. It also makes a direct local impact on air quality for neighbors and the community and State in which Neenah Paper operates one of its largest mills. These and other local green power purchase benefits are summarized below: Directly offsets the production of electricity generated from traditional fossil fuel sources here in Wisconsin. For every kWh of renewable energy that Neenah Paper purchases, We Energies purchases that amount of renewable energy. This energy is added to the MISO grid and directly offsets energy produced by traditional fossil fuel, thereby generating “local environmental benefits here in Wisconsin. Creates a more direct PR opportunity within a local market – i.e. specific customers – who care about renewable energy and the environment where they live. Selects a product that provides a mix of different renewable energy technologies similar to diversifying an investment portfolio. A mix of technologies provides a stronger statement of environmental concern. Helps a utility build more renewable energy resources and grow its program….a REC purchase really can not claim this message as easily. Offers a company the opportunity to have its name closely associated with actively building renewable energy resources in a particular state or region of a state. Opportunity to improve employee moral – Company is doing something for where the employees live – improving the environment, being a good corporate citizen of their community and State.”

CARBON NEUTRAL

Q. What does it mean to be carbon neutral?

A. Being carbon neutral involves calculating your total climate-damaging carbon emissions, reducing them where possible, and then balancing your remaining emissions, often by purchasing “carbon offsets.” Neenah Paper has reduced its carbon footprint — or the direct and indirect net greenhouse gas emissions — associated with the manufacturing of the CLASSIC® Brands and STARWHITE® Papers.

Q. How does a person or company become carbon neutral?

A. There is no single accepted definition of carbon neutrality. Generally, carbon neutrality or a “zero net emissions position” (not to be confused with no emissions) is recognized as carbon emissions less emission reductions (from action to reduce direct and indirect emissions) less offsets. It can be achieved by an individual, company or a group of them by:  reducing emissions produced (i.e., increasing energy efficiency)  using renewable energy, and  using credits derived from emission abatement projects implemented under mandatory or voluntary emissions reduction schemes as offsets.

Q. I read that Neenah Paper is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)? Who is the CCX?

A. CCX defines itself as the world’s first and North America’s only voluntary, legally-binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction and trading system. Members include corporations, municipalities and other entities that emit greenhouse gases. The CCX represents 12% of all stationary emissions in the United States.

Q. As a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange, how does Neenah Paper earn carbon credits?

A. Neenah Paper has earned “Allowance Based Credits” by exceeding our greenhouse gas emission reduction goal. According to the Chicago Climate Exchange, Allowance Based Credits are a type of Carbon Financial Instrument, a unit of trade which represents 100 tons carbon dioxide emissions (tCO2e). Another Carbon Financial Instrument are Offset Credits generated from qualifying emission reduction projects and available to members for purchase. Emission reduction projects include: reforestation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, methane, etc.

Q. What is a Verified Emission Reduction (VER) credit, Carbon Credit or Offset Credit?

A. For every one ton of carbon dioxide that a company or an individual is not able to reduce, the company or individual can pay for one ton to be reduced somewhere else in the world. Monies from Verified Emission Reduction (VER) credits, also known as carbon credits or offset credits, go towards forestry sequestration (36%), renewable energy (33%) and industrial gases (20%), energy efficiency (5%) coal mine methane and landfill methane projects (3%) and others. Carbon emissions are thus counterbalanced by carbon savings.

Q. What guidelines are used for reporting greenhouse gas emissions?

A. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute Protocol for Accounting is a widely accepted set of guidelines used by project developers and incorporated into numerous standards, including ISO 14064.The protocol was created along with a GHG Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.

Q. What is an ecological footprint?

A. A measurement of the environmental or ecological impact that a person or organization has is called the ecological footprint. It is measured by all of the resources that are used, like trees, water, chemicals and energy along with the generation of air and water pollutants and solid wastes.

Q. What is my ecological footprint?

A. If the biologically productive land and sea were totaled and divided by the number of people on Earth, each person would have about 4.5 acres to feed and clothe themselves, play and make all the materials needed to live. Current estimates are that the average American footprint is 24 acres.

Q. What are greenhouse gases?

A. Any gasses that get trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and add to climate warming are called greenhouse gases. The most obvious one is carbon dioxide. It is one measure of energy and resources to produce paper and other materials.

CHLORINE

Q. Could you explain chlorine bleaching issues?

A. Virgin fiber bleaching: For many years virgin fiber was bleached with hypochlorite a compound that reacts with organic materials and may produce dioxins or its pre-cursors in the reaction. Most virgin pulp mills have stopped using this chemistry and are substituting chlorine dioxide in the bleaching stages. This virtually eliminates dioxin and its associated compounds from the waste water. This process is called ECF or elemental chlorine free. All of the virgin fiber in ENVIRONMENT® Papers and CLASSIC® Brands is ECF. This is the process used for the FSC virgin portion of the FSC certified colors. Some mills are totally chlorine free meaning they bleach with oxygen, ozone or peroxide. This process is TCF or totally chlorine free. Recycled fiber bleaching: In the recycled fiber reclamation, sometimes the fiber is de-inked and decolorized with hypochlorite. No chlorine or hypochlorite is used in the 100% post consumer pulp purchased by Neenah Paper. Neenah Paper’s PCF offering includes: PC 100 White, PC 100 Natural, Quest White, Quest Ivory, Willow, Desert Storm and Green Tea in the ENVIRONMENT® Papers and Recycled 100 Bright White and Recycled 100 Natural White in the CLASSIC® Brands. These papers contain 100% post consumer recycled content.

OTHER

Q. Why should I purchase paper from a company that owns paper mills?

A. Neenah Paper and other mills that own manufacturing facilities are responsible for their environmental effectiveness. This means they are accountable to their customers for trees, water, air and other resources they consume and for the materials they release to the environment. Although it isn’t always practical to visit the mill site and evaluate their practices for yourself, it is important to know that you can do so, if desired.

Q. What questions should I ask my paper supplier?

A. The EPA and the Recycled Materials Advisory Notice recommends that you ask paper suppliers about the source of the raw materials, the bleaching process and the return of materials to the environment. If the supplier does not have printed literature that answers the questions that are important to you, ask for a letter with this information.