Wausau, Wisc. – For more than 40 years, people around the world have celebrated Earth Day through a shared commitment to building a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. This year, Wausau Paper encourages printers and designers to embrace the truths and debunk the myths about the sustainability of print compared to electronic media, and ultimately, to celebrate Earth Day with the power of print.

Contrary to popular belief, a paperless world is not necessarily a greener one. Many argue that electronic media is the green alternative to print, but research shows this is not necessarily the case.  While digital media does not produce a tangible product to fill landfills, the data centers that drive electronic media require power and rely heavily on coal, which ultimately results in the production of harmful greenhouse gases.

Conversely, the carbon footprint of printing continues to decrease, as printers and paper mills are among the largest consumers of renewable energy.  According to the AF&PA Sustainability Report, U.S. paper mills plant more trees than they harvest, and nearly 65 percent of their power is generated on-site from renewable energy, such as hydropower and biomass.  

Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace, has been widely quoted as saying, "Forestry is the most sustainable of all the primary industries that provide us with energy and materials.  To address climate change, we must use more wood, not less.  Using wood sends signals to the marketplace to grow more trees."

For printers and designers looking for environmentally friendly paper options this Earth Day, Wausau Paper offers a wide array of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Green Seal certified papers from its popular brands including Exact, Astrobrights, Intrigue and Royal lines.  Most recently, Wausau Paper enhanced its Exact Index, Tag and Vellum Bristol grade lines. All products within these three lines are now FSC-certified and all white items now containing 30 percent recycled post-consumer fiber.