Environmentalism: Paper Tiger?

While environmentalists have been raising louder and louder alarms about the loss of forests, an interesting thing has been happening. Forest cover has actually been growing for years—in Canada, in the US, and in Europe.

And last year, pulp and paper production in Canada was down 8.5 percent.

Paper is becoming obsolete. Slowly, so far, but it may start happening very quickly soon.

I know I am using much less of it myself; many things once stored on paper are now stored on cheaper digital media. I’m getting more of my news from the Internet, and less from newspapers and magazines. Things I used to photocopy for my students, I can now project on the Smartboard.

I am surprised that we do not yet have a booming market in e-books (and e-magazines). But it may be coming soon, with lightweight tablet PCs. Once I can curl up in an easy chair with the thing, it’s game over.

I hope we can find something else useful to do with all those trees.