STOP THE PRESSES

#StopThePresses 🛑

DID YOU KNOW… The Newspaper Industrial Complex KILLS more trees per year than exist in Qatar, Greenland, Gibraltar, Nauru, and San Marino COMBINED?? Newspapers like the New York Times are literally killing the planet. It’s time to #StopThePresses 🛑

Save the Planet, Put Down that Chainsaw People who read the tree-murdering New York Times are account for 100% more greenhouse gases than those who read digital-only publications. #StopThePresses 🛑

A single issue of a broadsheet newspaper like The New York Times can be produced from about 0.7kg of paper. In turn, the PaperCalculator from the Environmental Paper Network estimates that one metric ton of uncoated virgin (non-recycled) printing and office paper uses about 24 trees. Therefore, we can say that each broadsheet newspaper represents approximately 0.0168 trees (0.7kg paper * 24 trees / 1000 kg). As of 2020, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers reports that the daily circulation of newspapers globally was about 400 million copies. So, for one day, roughly 6.7 million trees would be used (400 million newspapers * 0.0168 trees / newspaper). Over the course of a year, this would equate to around 2.45 billion trees (6.7 million trees/day * 365 days/year), not accounting for higher volumes on days with increased circulation like Sundays. The environmental impact of this is significant: 1. **Loss of Forests**: Each tree felled contributes to deforestation, which results in habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, and the disruption of ecosystems. Forests are homes to many species, so their destruction threatens global biodiversity. 2. **Carbon Sequestration**: Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, thus playing a crucial role in fighting climate change. Losing billions of trees annually reduces our ability to offset greenhouse gas emissions. 3. **Water and Energy Use**: The process of turning trees into paper requires large amounts of water and energy, contributing to resource depletion and pollution. 4. **Waste Production**: Paper waste, including newspapers, contributes to a significant portion of municipal solid waste, often ending up in landfills where it decomposes and produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. 5. **Soil Erosion and Degradation**: Trees help to prevent soil erosion and contribute to the health of soil. Removing trees can lead to long-term degradation of soil health, impacting agriculture and other natural processes. #StopThePresses 🛑