March 23, 2010 - Wilmington, DE Yesterday I bought some paper products from the home office supply company, Staples, so I could do some print advertising for GettingOutside.com. Since this is an environmentally friendly website, and I usually try hard to lessen my negative impact(s) on the world's ecosystem and environment (as best I can, whenever I can), it took me quite a long time to decide how much I was going to spend (and for what types of printer paper), without having to sacrafice anything in terms of what I, myself, can do (voting with my dollars) to help the world avoid environmental degradation and destruction or wasteful squandering of our limited natural resources!

Wow, that's a mouthful... more simply put: I care to help. I think things over. I weigh the consequences of my choices. So I considered all my available options...

I needed some color, and first of all, it appears they do not sell any colored paper made from recycled paper (at least not at Staples; and in hindsite, going to a large-scale office supply co. like Staples was probably my worst choice if I was seeking to be environmentally friendly and eco-conscious, but hey, at least they are trying!) But what bothered me the most was the prices between the eco-friendly and non eco-friendly alternatives between regular, plain-white printer paper.

Let me share with you what I read today from the back of the package of 100 Percent Recycled Copy Paper, which I chose, but which, as you will find out, my bank account bemoans!

You cannot read it very well, but here's what the label says:

The Trademark of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) indicates that the wood used to make the product comes from a forest which is well managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. (In other words, people are not being screwed over to make this product.) FSC is an international, non-profit association working to improve forest management worldwide.

Recycled content:

The average American uses more than 655 pounds of paper every year. But you can help preserve trees and other natural resources by using (any content post consumer waste) recycled paper instead of paper made from freshly cut trees. 100 percent recycled paper means that you just re-used the resources we've already had to take from nature, instead of taking more than we need and can afford. To go home with the good (eco-friendly) stuff, I had to pay more almost double for the product which does not have such a negative impact on the planet (it's just what I do!)

Staples makes both recycled and non-recycled versions. Surprisingly, the more left over content (the more post consumer waste material has been recycled in the paper they are selling) the more you have to pay for it. So 100 Percent recycled paper costs 7.99 for 500 sheets. 1.598 cents per sheet. But 30 Percent recycled paper costs 5.99 for 500 sheets. 1.198 cents per sheet. But 0 percent paper --which undoubtedly costs the environment the most -- for some reason, unbeknownst to me, except for the lack of true democracy and science, pragmatism and reason helping to sway politics, instead of privately held interests -- the worst thing for us, costs us the least, at 4.69 for 500 sheets! That's only .938 cents per sheet, less than a penny per page -- and it took a tree's life and ability to keep our environment stable to do it!

Why don't they inact a tarrif on non-environmentally sound products -- to level out the prices so consumers can practice environmentalism (help out everyone) without paying for it out of their own products. In other words, you'll be able to do the right thing, without having to sacrafice anything important, like time, resources, effort, or money. We should do this because, if we did, eventually everything on the market would become eco-friendly because businesses that cannot adapt would be phased out! Electricity would be subsidized and supported by consumers only if it was generated by an alternative and non-damaging means. So solar, wind, geothermal, hydro-electric, bio-mechanical, waste-to-electric and bio-matter energy sources could be tapped free of any price adjustment, but finally those companies which create electricity but also introduce negative externalities into the world's social network (eco-system and environment) will finally be held accountable for the damages they do to regular people in the line of fire. Let's stop the fires...

Choose recycled to organic products whenever possible (look for cost alternatives or spend wisely so you can afford the more environmentally friendly option) FOR NOW, and await the day when finally laws are better settled for the common man, and the meek, who seek to inherit a clean and sustainable earth. Indeed, sometimes less is more, but when it comes to post-consumer waster (recycled paper content in our paper choices), it sure would be nice if fair were better, and you didn't have to PAY MORE to go with the option that is best for the planet, best for people, best for the conscience, best for the soul, best for all (except, right now, very sadly still, our bank accounts)!

What I want to know is, When will the laws catch up with the technology? When will the scientific findings and observations from common practice begin to have more of an impact on what decisions our leaders choose to make for us (and not just base them on their prospectus for re-election)?