Cascades
We are only human
Human life is complex and fragile. Humanity being an integral part of planet Earth, our actions affect our surroundings, our environment. We need land, so we have a place to stay, water to drink and air to breath.
We can survive a couple of days without food, a couple of hours without water and only few minutes without air. Discussions about the environment sometimes seem more theoretical than realistic, yet it is a question of survival for all of us.
We are humans. We consume and discard. Our responsibility as living creatures is to have as little impact as possible. Each of our actions has more impact than we imagine. Our choices make a difference.
A Loop
Closing the loop is to use a product, recycle it and use a new product made from those materials. This cycle is an environmental loop that can virtually go to infinity.
By closing the loop, you reduce the environmental footprint and encourage local partners to collect and manufacture paper in North America. With Cascades, you can close the loop without compromising on quality.
Better for the environment?
The environment is much more than just trees. It is also about water, air and soil. These elements are impacted by paper manufacturing (or any kind of manufacturing) and should be considered when looking for a true environmentally responsible paper.
Using recycled paper represents the best sustainable choice. Manufacturing recycled paper consumes less water and energy and generates less waste and air emissions than virgin paper.
As messages in the market are confusing and sometime contradictory, environmental organizations have joined efforts and created The Paper Steps, which were designed to show the steps to environmentally superior paper, based on the Environmental Paper Network’s Common Vision.
Their conclusion is the following: “When looking for environmentally responsible paper, look first to papers with maximized postconsumer content, then look for papers where other characteristics are comprised of the environmental attributes.”
Closing the loop with Cascades is about going one step further. The commercial printing papers of Cascades are only made with FSC-certified fiber, include 50 percent or 100 percent recycled fiber and have one of the smallest (if not the smallest) carbon footprint in the industry. Their production uses six times less water than the industry average and uses materials from recycling bins to provide the North American market with quality products.
The Cascades Difference
Contrary to most paper mills, Cascades does not own forests. Instead, the company has decided to invest in the “urban forest,” which means recycling bins.
By owning the different parts of the recycled paper chain, including the collection of raw materials, sorting centers, de-inking facilities and a manufacturing plant, Cascades has more control over the recycled process than most.
This allows the company to have a stable and credible supply of raw materials, which is needed to constantly manufacture products made from a high percentage of recycled fiber.
Much more than paper
Cascades is a large company that makes much more than paper. The collection, sorting and recycling of discarded materials include cardboards, boxes and plastics. With the material found in recycling bins, Cascades is able to produce new boxes, packaging, tissue paper, plastic furniture and food containers.
Recycled products with a small environmental footprint made by a North American company, using North American raw materials – what a great choice!
To learn more about Cascades, please visit www.cascades.com/papers.
