ON THE INPUT FRONT
On the input front Handmade Paper does not require cutting of forests as it does not use wood pulp.
While on the other hand the Paper Mill for the manufacture of 1 ton of Paper/Board requires 2.5 to 3 tonnes of dry forest based materials like Eucalyptus/Salai/Bamboo, which means 4.5 tonnes of pulpable green wood. Eucalyptus Grandees contains 30% moisture. The average weight of pulpable wood of Eucalyptus after 6 years maturity in irrigated land is 18 kgs. and that of Bamboo with a cutting cycle of 3 years after plantation of 8 years is about 8 kgs.
Thus for 1 tonne of paper and board production, 277 trees of Eucalyptus G. or 462 plants of Bamboo are needed by a paper mill.
The significance of Handmade Paper industry lies in, that it does not demand, supply of raw materials from wood or Bamboo.
It uses cotton hosiery cutting or waste paper as its basic raw material.
ON THE PROCESSING FRONT
It utilizes solar energy for certain processes like drying of sheets etc.
ON THE OUTPUT FRONT
It causes insignificant pollution in the form of effluent of water because of mild chemical treatment whereas the effluent of water of paper mills is highly polluting on account of huge quantity of toxic chemicals used for the treatment of raw materials.
There is absolutely no air pollution in Handmade Paper industry as there is no gaseous emission, whereas in paper mills its just the opposite.
A tree that lives for 50 years generates oxygen worth $14,500 and helps in controlling erosion besides providing shelter to birds, fruits, flowers, timber and a healthy environment so when a tree fells or is felled we loose something worth more then $100,000
1,00,000 GREETING CARDS ON HANDMADE PAPER CAN SAVE 500 TREES