This year they will cover the area of 34,000 ha and include artificial, natural, and combined reforestation activities and tending of young stands. As a responsible forest manager, Ilim Group performs reforestation activities on an annual basis. In 2014, Ilim experts performed reforestation work on leased timberland in the Irkutsk, Arkhangelsk, Vologda Oblasts, Komi Republic and Krasnoyarsk Territory covering the area of 28.9 thousand ha. Over 3.8 million of pine and spruce seedlings and 2 thousand kilograms of pine and spruce seeds were planted as part of the effort to create forest plantations. Tending of young stands was carried out over an area exceeding 4.500 ha.

Australia and Portugal have become the latest countries to successfully achieve the re-endorsement of their national forest certification systems by PEFC. This not only confirms that they continue to meet PEFC’s globally recognized Sustainability Benchmarks, but also ensures that certified forest owners and companies in these countries continue to benefit from the global acceptance of PEFC. This marks the second re-endorsement for Australia and Portugal, with both countries achieving endorsement for the first time back in 2004. The endorsement of the Australian system was particularly significant as, alongside Chile, it became the first non-European country to be recognized by PEFC. Since then, over 10 million hectares of forest have been certified in the country.

You throw a piece of paper in the recycling bin and probably forget about it, but where does it go? If you live in Harrison and parts of Marion County it goes to the Resolute Forest Products Fairmont Pulp Mill. Recycling is building momentum in the state thanks to the Fairmont Pulp Mill, one of three of its kind in the world. But, only two percent of what the mill recycles actually comes from West Virginia.

Australian scientists have analysed 20 years of satellite data and found that the world's trees and plants now store four billion more tonnes of carbon than they did in 2003. The report found despite vast amounts of deforestation, making way for agricultural land, the earth is still getting greener. There are a combination of factors contributing to this growth, such as China's huge planting programme; increased rainfall in Australia, Africa and South America; forest growth in large areas of abandoned former soviet farming lands and increased carbon in the atmosphere improving growing conditions for plants.

On April 22 the world celebrated Earth Day. But many consumers try to pay homage to Mother Nature all year long through their purchases. According to Influence Central's survey of nearly 1,000 women, 47% identify as “very green.” In fact, 99% of this segment would consider themselves “green moms” and 87% always try to use Earth-friendly practices, like relying on DIYs and green cleaning products. In addition, 40% of the women surveyed would consider themselves somewhat green and 68% of all consumers surveyed consider themselves “green moms.” These consumers are extremely knowledgeable about the products that they purchase. According to Influence Central, 73% of respondents often do research to understand the safety of ingredients exposed to their families and 70% agree that they possess knowledge and expertise about environmentally friendly products. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that 91% of the study's participants buy green products because they're concerned about their family's health. So, brands definitely have an opportunity to meet consumers' growing needs.

The significant and potentially dramatic impact of climate change on forests, while well understood by foresters and scientists, is frequently overlooked in mainstream discussions, said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International, on Earth Day today. “Yet given the effect it will have on communities and ecosystems, we need to bring discussions about how to move towards ‘climate change adapted communities’ and ‘climate change resilient landscapes’ into the mainstream,” urged Mr. Gunneberg. “When it comes to forests and climate change, the focus tends to be on the benefits that forests and forest products provide by absorbing and storing carbon and, conversely, on carbon emissions from such deforestation,” said Mr Gunneberg, speaking from the ICF National Conference 2015 “Tree Health, Resilience & Sustainability” in Cardiff, Wales, today.

“Verso Corporation is a major U.S. producer of printing and graphic paper and it’s great to have them as a key member of Two Sides,” stated Two Sides North America President Phil Riebel. “We welcome Aaron Haas, Vice President, Marketing Services and eCommerce, as a member of our Sustainability & Marketing Committee and we look forward to working with Verso to continue growing our network and promoting the sustainability of paper-based communications.”

Tiny Prints, the leading online stationery boutique, today announced its partnership with American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization. In an effort to revive the decimated Deschutes National Forest in Oregon, Tiny Prints, along with American Forests, will help restore its ecosystem and make it a destination for families to enjoy once again. In 2012, the Deschutes National Forest was devastated by a lightning fire, destroying over 26,000 acres of trees and ruining the wildlife habitat of its big horn sheep, deer and songbirds. Through American Forests, Tiny Prints will support the Pole Creek Fire reforestation project that will plant 350,000 Ponderosa Pines and Douglas Fir, so that families can, once again, hike, camp, fish, ski and enjoy the majestic landscape.

“We welcome ANIDIGRAF to our network and we look forward to working with them to raise awareness about the sustainable features of print and paper, and grow our presence in North America,” stated Two Sides North America President Phil Riebel. “We are very pleased to become the first Mexican industry association to join Two Sides, a highly professional organization eager to share its knowledge and experience worldwide, seeking the mutual benefit of our markets and communities. This alliance will help us reinforce our commitment to promote and strengthen sustainability in Mexico,” stated Jorge Rebollar, President, ANIDIGRAF.

On the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day, Mohawk, North America’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of fine papers, envelopes and specialty substrates for commercial and digital printing, continues to lead the paper industry in environmental and sustainable practices, and has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ‘National Top 100 List’ of Green Power Users for the tenth year in a row. As of January 6, 2015, Mohawk ranks 75th in the nation for green power use, and has been named to the EPA 100% Green Power Users list for using wind power to meet 100 percent of the company’s electricity use. Since 2007, 100% of electricity used in Mohawk’s operations is matched with Green-e certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce that four leaders have been elected to the independent Board of Directors. Joining the board are Mary Klein, President and CEO, NatureServe; Guy Gleysteen, Senior VP, Time Inc.; Bettina Ring, State Forester, Virginia; and Steve Bullard, Dean, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University. “We are so pleased to welcome Mary, Guy, Bettina, and Steve. As a conservationist, a brand manager, a state forester and an academic, their respective experience in the environmental, public and private sectors will be an important asset to our diverse SFI Board,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. “They will help SFI further enhance the vital link between healthy forests, responsible purchasing, and sustainable communities.”

The wise use of the world’s forests is critical to our survival and a healthy environment. Forests are vital in maintaining life as we know it, as they: *cover one third of the earth’s land and absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide making them a major instrument in mitigating climate change, *absorb airborne impurities and give off oxygen allowing us to breathe clean air, *protect our watersheds and provide us with clean water, *are home to the majority of the world’s terrestrial species, and many people around the world—1.6 billion according to the World Wildlife Fund—depend on forests for their livelihoods.

Brazil has become the first jurisdiction worldwide to permit the commercial use of FuturaGene’s genetically engineered eucalyptus. The Brazilian National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio) approved the commercial use of the yield-enhanced eucalyptus developed by FuturaGene. According to the company, field experiments conducted since 2006 at various locations in Brazil have demonstrated an approximate 20% increase in yield compared to its equivalent conventional variety. The company says this approval represents the most significant productivity milestone for the renewable plantation forest industry since the adoption of clonal technology in the early 1990s. This approval enables the production of more fiber using less resources.

Current and future opportunities for PEFC in South America to expand forest certification and the uptake of PEFC-certified products is set to be the focus of an upcoming PEFC regional conference in Uruguay. Stakeholders from around the continent with an interest in promoting sustainable forest management are encouraged to attend. “Our goal is to bring more forests under sustainable forest management, and with this first regional gathering we aim to enable internal and external stakeholders to join forces to better reach out to everybody along the timber value chain: from forest owners to companies to consumers,” said Atilio Ligrone, National Secretary of PEFC Uruguay and the Manager of the Society of Forest Producers. “For our country, and in particular PEFC Uruguay, it is an honor to host this first regional meeting.”

Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) announced today that it has collected 450 million ink and toner cartridges for recycling in the U.S. since 2005, averaging more than 60 million cartridges per year for the past four years. Through the cartridge recycling program, Staples has helped recover and recycle 234 million pounds of plastics and metals, diverting roughly the weight of 8,000 full garbage trucks from landfills. "At Staples, we are committed to reducing waste going to landfills and reusing valuable resources through our recycling services," said Mark Buckley, vice president, environmental affairs, Staples.

Official 2014 emissions data have just been released and the downward trend in emissions from the sector has continued — 2014 emissions being 13.5% lower than those in 2013 and an impressive 42% lower than in 2008. While some of this reduction can be attributed to lower production, the great majority has been delivered by investment in new power generation and a continued focus on energy efficiency. Allowing for changes in production levels, the figures show that the amount of EU ETS reported carbon dioxide emitted by UK paper mills (per tonne of production) has fallen by a third in just seven years — from 0.64 tonnes CO2 per tonne of product to 0.42 tonnes.

Interesting article from Image Reports about whether or not digital media is getting away with too much when it comes to the sustainability argument. While the environmental impact of print has been heavily scrutinized, the information technology industry has been given a much freer ride on this issue.

A recent World Resource Institute (WRI) report indicates that forest fires have increased in Canada’s boreal forest which puts Canada second on a global list for tree cover loss in 2013. It is important to define what WRI means by tree cover loss. The distinction between natural cycles and man-made land use changes are necessary considerations when calculating tree loss. Permanent forest loss from urbanization and agriculture expansion is vastly different from temporary tree loss caused by harvesting or natural occurrences like forest fires and pest infestations where trees regrow. Forecasts using climate change scenarios suggest that fire and pest activity will increase across much of Canada’s forests. The forest products industry continues to collaborate with governments, academics and other stakeholders on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

The American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA) 2014 Community Access Survey shows that overall consumer access to community paper and paperboard recycling in the U.S. reached 96 percent, up from 87 percent in 2010. The survey evaluated 12 separate grades of paper and paperboard, which all showed access increases. Access for 9 of the 12 grades is now at or above 90 percent. The executive summary of the survey is available at: http://paperrecycles.org/sustainability/2014-af-pa-community-access-survey “Access to paper recycling in the U.S. continues to increase – which helps to recover valuable resources, extend the useful life of fiber and make new products,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “In addition, we’re pleased to see significant increases in access to recycling for different paper grades.” The survey results also showed that single-stream recovery has grown in use. Eighty percent of Americans now have access to single-stream collection, a rise from 65 percent in 2010.

Following its successful introduction with Finnish dairy Valio, the world’s first fully renewable package, Tetra Rex® Bio-based, is now being rolled out to Tetra Pak customers worldwide. Valio has been selling its Valio Eila® brand of lactose free semi-skimmed milk drink in Tetra Rex Bio-based for the past three months and now plans to use the fully renewable package for some other products in their range. At the same time, the company has also decided to use Tetra Pak’s 100% bio based closures for all their gable-top packages. “After all of the hard work and significant investment that has gone into bringing this package to market, it is hugely rewarding to get such a positive response from both Valio and their consumers,” says Charles Brand, Executive Vice President of Product Management & Commercial Operations for Tetra Pak.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced plans to build 15 compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations to support the purchase and planned deployment of 1,400 new CNG vehicles over the next year. Twelve of the CNG stations will be in new natural gas vehicle deployment areas, and three will replace existing CNG stations with more robust, higher capacity equipment. This purchase represents a nearly 30% increase to UPS's current industry-leading alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet of 5,088 vehicles worldwide. The CNG fueling stations and vehicle purchases are part of UPS' ongoing commitment to diversify its fuel sources, implement a fleet infrastructure that can utilize lower carbon intensity fuel sources and increase experience using alternative fuels in freight transport applications.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified packaging companies, has recognized U.S. Paper Mills Corp.'s facility in Menasha, Wis., with a Bronze Sustainability Star Award for the plant's successful efforts to achieve a 26 percent waste reduction. The plant achieved this significant waste reduction by recovering fiber from the waste streams in the pulping process and reducing moisture content in its waste stream by optimizing equipment. The fiber recovery component alone reduced waste by 50-60 tons per month.

Bluestone Energy Services and Ahold USA are increasing their energy conservation initiative in 2015 by expanding the reach of projects to touch stores in all regions and to increase the energy savings in new projects while also continuing to improve the efficiency of existing projects. In 2014, Bluestone Energy’s supermarket division completed comprehensive energy efficiency projects in partnership with Ahold USA and its retail stores, including upgrading all of the interior lighting at the store level to new LED lighting with advanced wireless controls. This high-efficiency lighting installation reduced the lighting consumption in the stores by over 70%. In addition to reducing the energy profile of the stores, the lighting systems enhance the customer experience through improved light levels as well as light quality.