Millions of tons of paper and cardboard are consumed worldwide every year. Despite advancing technology and digitalized content, this number continues to grow steadily. Photocopy papers, invoices, and newspapers used in offices and workplaces top the list. Let's take a look at some statistics on paper and tree consumption together.
- Paper and cardboard consumption across Turkey reaches approximately 6 million tons per year. Per capita consumption has been determined at 70 kg.
- Our recycling rate is at 40%, and the target is to raise this to 60% within 5 years.
- Every year, we consume an average of 7 trees per person for paper, cardboard, and vital needs. This means we need to plant at least 7 seedlings in nature every year.
- In an area of 1 hectare, coniferous trees can produce 30 tons of oxygen per year, while broadleaf trees can produce 16 tons.
- A mature beech tree can eliminate the carbon dioxide produced by approximately 1,000 people in a single day. It can also filter 7 kg of dust and approximately 300 kg of toxins per year. Consequently, about 50% of air pollution is cleaned thanks to forests.
- A 100-year-old beech tree, 25 meters tall, located in a 10 m2 area can absorb 30,000 liters of water per year and protect fertile soils by preventing landslides.
- Approximately 10,000 trees can be found in an area of 1 hectare, and 10,000 trees can produce the oxygen consumed daily by 30,000 people. If everyone in the world halved their paper consumption, 8 million hectares of forest could be preserved each year.
- With 70 kg of paper we send for recycling, we can save 1 tree. The 1 tree we save can produce the oxygen consumed by 3 people per day.
- It should be known that 2 tons of trees are needed for 1 ton of paper pulp, requiring 20 trees to be cut down, and those 20 cut trees can only produce 200,000 pages, or 80 boxes of A4 photocopy paper.
- According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry data, 2 million trees could be saved if unnecessary correspondence were eliminated. On average, an office worker throws away approximately 80 kg of paper per year. Considering this figure equals the paper obtained from 1 tree, the importance of recycling becomes even more prominent.
Thinking long-term while consuming all the world's resources has always been very important for sustainability. With conscious consumption, minimum harm and maximum benefit can be achieved. Therefore, the next time we use paper products, we should think long-term and turn to recycling.
