Paper accounts for 40 percent of the trees cut down by industry each year worldwide. Around the world we use 1 million tons of paper everyday and 93% of paper comes from trees alone which we can call as virgin paper. About 20,000,000 trees are cut down annually for virgin paper used for production of books in the US alone and this figure is huge right? 

The level of daily production, usage and waste of paper is worth revisiting. According to the Environmental Paper Network (EPN): 

"..hundreds of times a day, we touch paper – newspaper, cereal boxes, toilet paper, water bottle labels, parking tickets, streams of catalogs and junk mails, money, tissues, books, shopping bags, receipts, napkins, printer and copier paper at home and work, magazines, to-go food packaging. This list could fill a paperback" (Shapely 2007). 

With the invention of modern technology such as the printing press and the highly mechanized harvesting of wood, disposable paper has become a cheap commodity. Hence, half of the world?s forests have already been cleared and 42% of the industrial wood harvest is used to make paper. 

According to the Environmental Paper Network, the average American consumes more than 700 pounds of paper yearly, which is the world?s highest per capita figure. This is followed by ?Western Europe – 400 pounds per person yearly, Australia – 300 pounds, while China, India and the rest of Asia are the fastest growing per-capita users?. (Shapley 2007). Yet, each day, man is confronted with the realities of climate change and its attendant consequences. There has been a significant rise in sea level due to the indiscriminate melting of ice cap and several species of animals and plants are on the verge of extinction. Evidences of extreme weather conditions around the world abound, as there has been a ?rise in poverty level, drought, famine and diseases with developing countries bearing the brunt of these ecological consequences? (Nche 2012, p.74). Imagine a world without trees and a world without forests. 

Indeed, such a world would definitely be an incomplete world and seems unimaginable. Can you imagine a world without trees and forests? Then the world will be void of human life to support it, no animal, no wildlife etc. This is because trees and forests are of inestimable values to man and the rest of other creatures. Without exaggeration, "there is no life without trees" (www.haryali.org). This is because trees provide man with oxygen, which is essential for the existence of life. According to the US Department of Agriculture, ?One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons

of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual need of 18 people?. This is done during the process of photosynthesis, in which trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen which human breathes. Also, this air man breathes is filtered by trees, shrubs and turf through the removal of dust and absorbing of other pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Trees control climate by moderating the effects of the sun, rain and wind. 

They also lower the air temperature and reduce the heat intensity of the greenhouse effect by maintaining low levels of carbon dioxide. Trees conserve water, preserve soil and support wild life. 

Yet, the same trees are cut down for several commercial purposes of which the industrial production of paper is outstanding. Hence, the industrial production of paper has had significant impact on the environment. Forest store 50% of the world?s terrestrial carbon and maintains the world?s abundant biodiversity, essential for life on earth. However, unfortunately, half of the world's forest have already been cleared or burned, while 42% of the industrial wood harvest is 

used to make paper. 

Here is a call to every men and women of good will to arise and stand against the indiscriminate falling of trees for if we are going to continue living on earth we have to protect it. 

References:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271040781

Ecological Impact of Paper Production: A Case for the Abolition of Print

Media.

http://www.reforestsrilanka.com/bolg2_save_paper_save_trees/