Plastic isn’t the one planetary villain. Paper does its share of environmental harm, too—particularly wrapping paper.
The worldwide wrapping paper trade is valued at round $20.4 billion. This is a gigantic quantity! Whereas it’s satisfying to observe your three-year-old niece rip open that crisply-wrapped field, our planet doesn’t fairly get the identical kick from the magic of unwrapping items.
Let’s put present-wrapping into perspective: Whereas it’s tough to seek out particular reward wrap particulars, like different paper-based merchandise, your wrapping paper doubtless began out as a tree on a paper plantation. Typically talking, these plantations are threats to local flora and fauna (and thus biodiversity on the entire). This is because of related surprising ranges of deforestation, animal extinction, and unlawful logging.
As a result of tree bark doesn’t precisely match across the basketball you’re giving to your child, the tree must be reworked into pulp, after which paper. This course of can embrace dangerous chemical substances like hydroxides, bleaching brokers, and concerning metals (chromium, lead, and so on.).
Then there’s the waste. Of the thousands and thousands of kilos of wrapping paper produced a 12 months, roughly half leads to landfills. Whereas a few of this could possibly be recycled or composted, most wrapping paper just isn’t 100% paper and subsequently just isn’t recyclable or biodegradable. Something that accommodates velvet, plastic, glitter (even when biodegradable), foil (or actually any texture in any respect) can’t be chucked in your recycling or compost bin. Moreover, something lined with plastic or with tape nonetheless caught to it additionally will find yourself in a landfill and should even contaminate a superbly good batch of recyclables alongside the best way.
High tip for obtained items: Should you’ve obtained a present with wrapping, save what you’ll be able to for reuse and if it’s acquired no extra life in it, do the “scrunch test” to find out if yours might be recycled.
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