Earth Day is April 22, 2019, and to celebrate, we are sharing some environmental highlights from our businesses. Air, land, and water are areas where the JDI team works every day to reduce our environmental footprint. Below are some of the efforts and results:
Since 1990, our Pulp and Paper operations have reduced their carbon footprint by 55%. This puts us amongst top performers in North America and exceeds the target set by the Government of Canada and the Paris Climate Change Accord.
Today renewable green energy sources account for 59% of the fuel used at our pulp, paper, and tissue mills as well as our sawmills.
A recent $30 million investment at Lake Utopia Paper near St. George, N.B. earned the team the 2019 Industry Excellence Award from Natural Resources magazine. Natural Resources magazine’s 2019 Industry Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship. The new environmental treatment facility turns organic waste into clean-burning biogas. This green energy replaces the use of fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%. Check out the video here:
This year we will plant over 16 million trees – Nature’s air filters. Over the next 50 years growing trees on the lands we manage will absorb over 92 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. That’s equal to 350,000 cars off the road each year for the next 50 years.
NBM Railways have achieved a 31.4% improvement in fuel efficiency (2015-2018) – reducing fossil fuel consumption by over 13 million liters.
Starbucks Corp. tackled a wide range of global responsibility projects in 2014, including the ongoing minimization of its environment footprint. In its annual 2014 Global Responsibility Report, the coffee giant noted that it opened its 500th LEED-certified store in 2014, and that 98% of company-operated new stores opened in the United States in 2014 were built to LEED standards. Globally, the percentage stands at 64%.
Starbucks said is has experienced some technical challenges in international markets where the U.S.-based LEED certification program is still gaining traction. It is working with the U.S. Green Building Council to increase adoption of the LEED standards.
It’s important for companies and consumers to understand the end-of-life pathways for paper materials, like paper recycling or composting, so that they can make smart choices. Exploring the compostability or biodegradability of various types of paper and the advancements in bio-based coatings can help organizations make informed decisions that align with environmental sustainability at a time when consumers are demanding sustainability and transparency around practices. When paper products are not recycled, they typically end up in landfills. In these anaerobic environments, organic materials like paper decompose slowly, potentially releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Alternatively, some paper waste may be processed through combustion with energy recovery, contributing to energy production but also emitting carbon dioxide. Recycling paper products, which can be collected and reused to make new products, is the ideal solution, but recycling infrastructure can vary from state to state, even city to city. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) estimate U.S. paper recycling at 65%-69%.
Don’t be afraid to use paper and packaging, just make sure they are PEFC-certified! This is set to be the key message of the 1st PEFC Sustainability Fair in Chile later this month.
Join the Chilean Sustainable Forest Certification System, CERTFOR, and PEFC International, in Santiago, Chile on 26 October, as we seek to raise awareness of sustainable forest products and promote the use of paper and packaging certified by PEFC, the world’s leading forest certification system.
Responsible procurement is a concept that has not only grown in importance for consumers. Today, it is also part of public policy in Chile for the purchase of paper and furniture, and a cornerstone in programs of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for many organizations around the world. click Read More below for important details
