Help Protect Our Forests

Know your symbols

Recyclable

Products marked with this logo contain recycled materials. Look for products marked with a high-percentage of recycled waste, such as 80% or 100%.Contains recycled materials

It’s best to choose paper products that are labeled as recycled from ‘post-consumer waste.’ This means that it reuses paper products discarded by people, including old newspapers, magazines, cardboard, office paper, etc. Other kinds of recycled paper uses paper scraps and trimmings discarded in the paper mill or the print factory.

Recyclable

Products marked with this image can be recycled, but may not be made from recycled materials. Be sure to recycle.

Forest Stewardship Council-certified

Look for the FSC logo on wood and paper products. FSC is the only credible forest certification, ensuring that products come from socially and ecologically managed forests. If you cannot find FSC-certified products, ask your retailer to stock them.

The FSC is an international, non-profit association comprised of economic, social indigenous and environmental interests. Find out more here.

Go Paperless

While recycling and buying products made from recycled waste are both important, the most effective way to reduce deforestation is to reduce our usage of paper products – if we use less paper, there will be less trees felled.

• Replace tissues or paper napkins with handkerchief and cloth napkins
• Got a spill? Don’t reach for the paper towels – use a towel or a rag (which can be made from old, unwanted clothes and linen)
• Print less! Send your friends electronic invitations to parties and events, and don’t print out documents and emails unless absolutely necessary.
• Set the default settings of your printer to double-sided printing.
• Distribute company reports and presentations electronically.
• Reuse enevelopes
• Read the news online; subscribe to digital editions of your favorite newspaper or magazine
• Buy used books and trade books with your friends.
• Don’t buy wrapping paper ever again: decorate magazines, calendars, and newspapers for unique and creative gift wrap.

Recycled and FSC

• Ask your company to switch to FSC-certified or recycled (preferably post-consumer waste recycled) paper for all their printing needs, whether it’s for business cards, documents, letterhead and envelopes or reports
• Buy FSC-certified or recycled paper for your home
• Reuse paper that only has content on one side – use the blank side for drafts and notes, or print again on the blank side.
• Recycle paper and paper products whenever possible.
• Decorating your home? There’s FSC-certified building materials, furniture, flooring, fibreboard and other wood fibre-related products.

Just say no

• Carry your own pair of chopsticks around so you don’t have to use a pair of disposable chopsticks. China produces 57 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks each year, requiring over 3.8 million trees. Harmful chemicals such as bleach are also used in the production process.
• Don’t buy paper products from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), which is responsible for massive destruction of the Paradise Forests in Indonesia. In China, APP sells tissue brands such as Breeze (清风), Zhenzhen (真真) and Virjoy (唯洁雅), as well as numerous brands of copy and print paper.
• Try to avoid products containing palm oil (棕榈油), such as packaged foods and biscuits. Palm oil cultivation results in rainforest destruction.

Spread the word

• Don’t just keep the fun of doing good for the earth to yourself – tell your family and friends so they can join in too!
• Sign up for Greenpeace’s newsletter to keep up-to-date with our forest campaign

Join Greenpeace and help us protect forests!