PaperSaving on paper is a small gesture that can produce enormous benefits: 15 trees, 440,000 liters of water and 7,600 kWh of electricity are needed to obtain a ton of new paper. A process that first of all involves the deforestation of large forests and therefore an increase in the polluting emissions that they are capable of absorbing.
The production of recycled paper, on the other hand, in addition to saving the lives of trees, requires 60% less energy and 80% less water than virgin paper, and generates 95% less air pollution.
It is also possible to use certified paper (as “Avvenire” does), with international brands that guarantee responsible forest management according to environmental, social and economic standards.
According to FAO data, world paper production is slightly down but the environmental impact remains high. In 2013, 397.6 million tons of paper and cardboard were produced, of which 54% was used for wrapping and packaging . (Alessandro Bonini)
7) Plastic
Plastic is a great discovery that has improved the quality of life, to the point of becoming one of the main causes of pollution on the planet. From 1950 to today, world production has increased from 1.5 million to
245 million tons per year, posing challenges especially as regards the disposal of non-biodegradable waste. Proof of this is the gigantic accumulations of plastic waste created in the oceans, extending to millions of square kilometers, an area larger than the surface of the United States.
(Unep) around 100,000 marine mammals, a substantial number of turtles and a million seabirds are killed by plastic each year, whether by ingestion or entrapment. Being a petroleum derivative, however, the first impact occurs through the extraction, transport and storage of hydrocarbons. This is followed by the process of transformation into plastic with the relative production of harmful emissions. (Alessandro Bonini)
8) FoodCooking only what can reasonably be eaten, as Francis suggests, is not just a way to respect those who have less, but to create the conditions for food to enter a redistribution circle. 1.3 billion tons of food every year. one third of the food produced is lost or wasted
(FAO estimates). Most food waste, over 40%, occurs at home, the rest in the production or distribution phase, so there is a lot we can do to limit this waste. In Italy it is estimated that the value of food thrown away amounts to 37 billion euros, practically 450 euros a year per family.
According to a study by Coldiretti, if these foods were reused, 44 million people could be fed. The invitation is not only to waste less, but to do everything possible to put surpluses back into circulation and redistribute them, as for example Caritas or organizations such as the Food Bank do. (Massimo Calvi)