Book Lovers for Forests

Every 2 seconds, an area of forest the size of a football field disappears. A staggering 80% of the world’s original ancient forests have been destroyed or degraded, while much of what remains is under threat. Deforestation is disrupting the earth’s climate and the eco-system is losing the equilibrium.

About 40% of timber logged in the world goes to paper production. As the global publishing industry booms, demand for paper is rapidly increasing. China is the world’s second biggest paper producer and consumer, and is the largest paper products market, followed by Hong Kong.

Your favourite book was probably made from disappearing forests – what will you do about it?

Since 2000, Greenpeace’s Book Campaign has achieved the following:

• - 6 million books have been printed on recycled paper made from post- consumer waste.
• - 150 American publishers, 115 Canadian publishers, and 60% of the UK’s book publishing sector have made commitments to use only Ancient Forest Friendly (AFF) papers.
• - Famous authors, including J.K. Rowling, José Saramago, Isabel Allende, Günter Grass, Margaret Atwood, and Ian Rankin, have pledged to support our campaign.

Greenpeace is now calling on the book publishing industry in Hong Kong and China to phase-in the use of Ancient Forest Friendly (AFF) papers and adopt environmentally and socially responsible procurement policies.

You can also show your support by

• - buying books printed on AFF paper;
• - asking your favourite authors & publishers to use AFF paper to save the forest;