Rekindle your love for paper

“Paper? But this is the digital, paperless age and we are trying to go green,” we hear you say. Yes, it is the digital age where e-cards and text messages abound, but you are very wrong if you think paperless is the greener way to go.

Whether you’re five or 50, you cannot deny the delight of receiving a hand-written letter or handmade card from someone special? The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa wants you to embrace the beauty and sustainability of paper.

Ten things to love about paper.
1.    You can love trees and paper. Trees are not killed to make paper. They are specially and sustainably farmed for the purpose of paper manufacturing. Just like corn and wheat are farmed for the production of cereals.
2.    Paper is green because it is made from a renewable material – wood. In South Africa, 262,000 trees are planted every day for the purposes of pulp and paper manufacturing.
3.    Not only is paper green, it is also blue, red, pink, yellow, you name it. The array of colours is enough to make the heart sing.
4.    Every breath you take: the 600 million plantation trees across South Africa act as massive carbon sinks, absorbing millions of tons of carbon dioxide and releasing life-giving oxygen. When timber is harvested and turned into pulp and paper, the carbon remains stored in solid form.
5.    Spread the love: paper is recyclable. By recycling our paper, we ensure that the carbon remains locked up for longer and we also create a source of income for recycling collectors.
6.    Share the love: paper is biodegradable. You can use newspaper and egg cartons to boost your compost heap or worm farm.
7.    Batteries not included: paper doesn’t need to be charged or powered to be read or used.
8.    You can feel it: the multitude of textures is simply unmatched by digital counterparts.
9.    You can smell it: is there anything that beats the smell of a new paperback or a lover’s letter?
10.    Paper isn’t just about the stuff that sits in your printer tray. Look around you, in your grocery and medicine cupboards. The shapes and forms of paper are astounding.

Get creative with paper.
The beauty of working with paper is that each creation can be unique. Here are five tips to get you started. The rest is all up to you.
1.    Take a trip to your local stationery shop. Buy some coloured paper and board that preferably carries a mark of certification (FSC, PEFC or SFI). This will assure you that the paper has come through a sustainable process, from the forest to production. (Don’t forget the glue, stamps and stickers)
2.    You don’t need to spend money either – hunt around the house and gather up old newspapers and magazines.
3.    Browse the internet for ideas, from origami heart envelopes to paper heart chains.
4.    Look up your favourite love poem, line from a movie or song. Print or write it out. Maybe you print a photo that means something to the both of you.
5.    Find a comfortable, quiet spot, sit down with a cup of tea, put on some music…. Revel in this moment and channel your inner artist.

For more information about the South African paper industry, visit www.thepaperstory.co.za.