Saving forests one tissue at a time

NEW YORK, NY -- According to the pamphlet "A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products" developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in the U.S., "Ancient and other endangered forests are being destroyed to make toilet paper, facial tissues, paper towels and other disposable paper products." The NRDC has developed a green guide to provide a list of products to buy and to avoid.

The NRDC pamphlet lists three things that consumers can do to save the forests. First, buy paper products with recycled content, especially post-consumer fibers. Post-consumer fibers are recovered from paper that was previously used by consumers and would otherwise have been dumped into a landfill or incinerator.

Second, buy paper products made with clean, safe processes. Paper products are bleached to make them whiter and brighter, but chlorine used in many bleaching processes contributes to the formation of harmful chemicals that wind up in air and water and are highly toxic to people and fish. Look for products labeled chlorine free.

Third, tell tissue manufacturers to stop using virgin wood for throwaway products.

Visit www.nrdc.org/paper to see the list of products.

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