Time and technology have changed some of our most basic beliefs about the environment. Here are just a few statements that are heard often. Are they fact or fiction? The answer may surprise you.
· All paper is recyclable (Fiction)
Your paper may be recyclable, but using metallic inks or varnishes on papers makes them difficult to recycle. Papers with chemical additives could sit in landfills for years. Fortunately, most printers now offer soy ink, which has very low levels of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and is far less of an environmental threat that petroleum-based or metallic inks.
· Air in the US is getting cleaner (Fact)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency regulates 6 “criteria pollutants.” They consist of ozone, carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and lead. Since 1980, the level of ambient pollutants in the air has dropped significantly: Ozone is down 21%. Carbon monoxide is down 77%. Sulfur dioxides are down 68%. Nitrogen dioxide is down 46 %. Lead is down 83% (primarily as a result of the EPA’s regulations reducing lead content in gasoline). Those pesky suspended particulates are down 28% since 1990. So feel better about the air you breathe.
· Going digital is better for the environment (Fiction)
We all want to reduce the size of our environmental footprint, so it makes sense to migrate hard-copy communications to online resources like email and websites, right? Well, the calculation becomes a little more complex when you consider the environmental costs of hardware supporting your digital transition. Will new desktop computers be necessary? If so, you may be surprised by the amount of chemicals and fossil fuels it takes to manufacture a single desktop computer—ten times its weight!
· Items with more recycled content are better for the environment (Fiction)
This seems like a no-brainer, but of course it isn’t. To do the right thing, you’ve got to consider what went into making a product that contains recycled content. Let’s use paper as an example: follow its lifespan from source through processing, and on to the transportation used to reach its final destination. Need help with this task? The online Environmental Paper Assessment Tool® (EPAT) can help you make the right decisions:
· Wind power is cost competitive with fossil fuels (Fact)
Thanks to ongoing research and development, the cost of power generated by wind has decreased from $.40 per kwh 25 years ago to below $.05 per kwh today. This is a decrease of 80%, which places wind power cost in line with traditional power sources. Of course, arguments on both sides of the Wind Energy debate continue, but the high cost per kilowatt hour is no longer a major issue. |
