On March 21st the world marks International Day of Forests. The date was declared by the United Nations in 2012 to raise awareness of the importance of all types of woodlands and trees, and to celebrate the ways in which they sustain and protect us.

Forests hold a special place in Canada’s culture. In literature and in history they are dark and mysterious, full of wonder and magical creatures, places of ceremony and reverence, generators of great wealth or obstacles to exploration.

They are called “the lungs of our world” for their ability to capture carbon dioxide and release life-sustaining oxygen into the atmosphere. They are home to a rich diversity of wildlife, plant life, birds, and insects. They are the places we go to “get away from it all”, or to explore recreational pursuits of many kinds in every season.

We like to live near them. In fact, the city of Toronto often refers to itself as “the city within a park” for its protected urban forest of native and naturalized trees.

In practice, forests and woodlands provide the feedstock for a wide range of industries, including carton packaging, that employ thousands of Canadians directly or indirectly across the country.

We are fortunate to live in a nation that values and protects its forests. While the majority of Canadians live in cities, each of us can play a part in conserving and protecting our forests. One way we contribute is by recycling products made from paper fibre. And of course, this includes gable top cartons for refrigerated juice and dairy products and aseptic cartons that keep broth, soup, wine and other products fresh in our pantry.

So, if you can’t plant a tree today, you can recycle your cartons and other paper products.

Recycling one ton of paper would:

  • Save enough energy to power the average home for six months.
  • Save 7,000 gallons of water.
  • Save 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton of carbon equivalent

US Environmental Protection Agency