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Calculating Office Paper Footprint
by Andrea Hart
In attempting to calculate exactly how many trees are used to make the paper for that newest office report, the Environmental Defense Fund has created a paper calculator on its website. Although this paper calculator is a great tool, it expects the user to simply know how many pounds of paper are used. Most people don’t know that number. What most people do know is the number of sheets in a given case and the weight of the paper, which typically indicated on the paper’s wrapping or invoice. Now, despite being called “paper weight” this number is does not directly indicate exactly how much that paper weighs, rather it distinguishes the paper quality from the company. Office paper is typically 20 lbs. In order to easily and effectively calculate your office’s paper use in relation to the number of trees used, please follow the steps listed below.
1. Environmental Defense Fund paper calculator:
Scroll down and select “Compare individual papers”
2. Enter the proper information regarding your baseline paper information. For the “Quantity per Year” tab, temporarily leave blank. For the “Percent Recycled Content” tab, select the appropriate percentage.
3. To determine the “Quantity per Year” figure, visit Appletonecoated’s website. Enter the proper information regarding the paper. Typically, office paper is 81/2’’ x 11’’. The “Basis Weight” of the paper can be found on either the packaging or the invoice for the paper. After completing the form, you’ll receive an “M-Weight”. Write this number down.
4. Return to the Environmental Defense Fund Website. Under the “Quantity per Year” tab, now enter the M-Weight number from the Appletoncoated website. Make sure you select the appropriate weight measurement (ie tons versus pounds). Select “calculate”.
The Environmental Defense Fund offers some really interesting information regarding your calculation. The number of trees is included, but also the net energy, greenhouse gas emissions, waster water and solid waste. This is a great calculation to better understand the broader impact of paper use.
5. In order to put these numbers more into context, visit the EPA’s website of Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculations. Scroll down to “Option 2” and enter appropriate information under the Carbon Dioxide tab. To find this information, return to the Environmental Defense Fund calculation. Take the number of Greenhouse Gas lbs and enter it into the Carbon Dioxide tab back on the EPA’s website.
The paper calculator is a helpful tool in better understanding just how many trees and environmental impacts go into making the paper your office uses every day. Keep that in mind when printing large reports (think double sided printing instead!).
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