What environmental advantages does recycling paper have?

Question

What environmental advantages does recycling paper have?

Answer 1

Hmm.. hard to answer without making it sound really bad.

The process of recycling paper is pretty energy intensive, and the recycled product is never as good as the original. Paper can only be recycled a limited number of times before its useless pulp. But then, at least its had a nice long life of several uses and didn't end up buried in a landfill somewhere.

However, growing trees specifically for making paper is energy intensive as well. One might argue that those trees sequester carbon dioxide for decades before we cut them down and make paper from them. But, when we cut a tree down all the carbon that it filtered from the air previously comes right back out when the tree dies.

So, recycled or virgin paper? Pick your poison. As always, I think the best thing to do is to reduce your consumption of paper so you needed worry so much about whether recycling is "worth it". Plus, you can compost it, which is always a good idea.

Answer 2

it saves trees from being cut down,

and trees are extremely beneficial to the earth

because they release oxygen and

decrease carbon dioxide.

Answer 3

more healthy tress.

Answer 4

it saves our endangered rocks from going extinct

Answer 5

Less in the landfill