Federal Network for Sustainability

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Federal Network for Sustainability

• Greening Federal Copy Paper Campaign -- How YOU
  Can Help
• Dec. 6, 2001

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What is FNS?

• A voluntary, collaboration of 10 separate federal
  agencies on the west coast
• Committed to federal leadership on sustainability
  and implementation of Greening Government
  Executive Orders
• Statement of Unity first signed on Earth Day,
  2000
• www.federalsustainability.org

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4 Areas of Focus

• Buying Green Power
• Using Environmental Management Systems
• Greener Copy Paper
• Electronics Products Stewardship

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All of these activities support sustainability by
harnessing the power of the federal government as
CONSUMER.
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Why Paper? Its Everywhere!

• 42 of wood harvested goes to making paper
• 10,000 sheets of copy paper is used by an average
  worker yearly
• In 1997, the Federal Government purchased roughly
  18.1 billion sheets
• Indirect costs for paper can exceed initial costs
  by 10x
• The Pulp and Paper industry is the 2nd largest
  consumer of energy and uses more water to
  produce a ton of product than any other industry
• Paper accounts for 38 of municipal solid waste
  generated annually in the US

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We Havent Even MentionedChlorine

• Chlorine, used in the paper making process for
  bleaching and its derivatives create toxic
  pollutants such as dioxins and furans. These
  pollutants, which bioaccumulate, are a proven
  cause of cancer, reproductive problems, genetic
  damage and immune system suppression.

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Or Protecting Old Growth Forests

• Using paper products which are certified as
  non-old growth drastically reduces the demand
  for, and the profitability of, cutting down old
  growth trees.

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What is the Federal Government Supposed to Buy?

• 40 CFR 11.303(b) requires no less than 30 post
  consumer materials for paper.
• Note It does not specify chlorine free.

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So, Whats the problem?

• 30 postconsumer (pcw) sets a minimum
• Buying 60 pcw would save 7.2 trees per ton of
  paper and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12
• Switching to 100 pcw would save 16.8 trees per
  ton and produce 29 less greenhouse gas emissions

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What Greener Papers are Available today?

• Higher recycled content paper.
• No Chlorine bleaching.
• No old-growth forest content.

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The FNS Greener Copier Paper Campaign Goals

• Raise awareness of environmental issues
  concerning copier paper
• Create the capability to reduce copier paper use
• Make greener paper more available and less costly
• Make green purchasing easy to implement
• Generate meaningful and measurable results that
  others can replicate

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Goals Can Be Achieved Through a two-pronged
approach

• Consolidate purchasing demand around high
  post-consumer, processed chlorine free paper
• Introduce and Implement paper efficiency within
  FNS member agencies (both source reduction AND
  recycling)

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What Can YOU as a ContractOfficial do to Help?

• Educate yourself and your agency on the value of
  greener paper
• Recognize your purchasing power!
• Support the efforts of your peers and join the
  FNS Paper Campaign
• Identify a Point of Contact within your agency..

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Why Participate?
As public entities working to advance the
public interest, Federal Agencies through
leadership and example can inspire all of society
to advance an agenda for sustainability.
FNS Statement of Unity