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What is paper?
Think of your favorite magazine, morning newspaper,
or a book you are currently reading. (If you're
reading Cradle to Cradle right now, this will
be a trick question.) Or think of the reams of
copier or computer paper flowing through your
office or home each week, and off to the recycling
center.
But what is the future of paper? The answer from
here might surprise you. Then again, if you've
been reading MBDC's monthly web features, the
answer may be no surprise at all. Paper is an
excellent medium for actualizing Cradle to Cradle
Design. And doing it need not require a single
tree.
Read on.
Today's Paper Trade
Most paper is made from cellulose—a fibrous
material the paper industry mostly gets from trees.
(If your paper tastes are more exotic, you could
get your cellulose from hemp, kenaf, cotton, banana
leaves, or even seaweed.) Making paper from trees
came about for some pretty good reasons. Trees
are abundant, renewable and versatile resources.
Processing them into paper is cheap, especially
at scale, and along with cellulose you get a variety
of valuable chemical byproducts for sale to other
industries.
 With
the economic development of the Industrial Revolution—and
even the electronic revolution, despite the myth
of the 'paperless office'—our demand for
paper has grown dramatically. And relying on trees
to make paper has brought destructive effects:
loss of habitat, soil erosion, water and air pollution,
and indirect impacts on industries such as fishing
and tourism.
But there have been clear benefits as well: millions
of jobs, revenues for local governments, etc.
I am personally living proof of the economic benefits
of the paper industry—my father retired a
few years ago after over forty years with a large
paper company. His hard work put food on the table,
clothes on my back, and paid for much of my education.
While none of the harmful effects of making paper
from trees was intended or planned, that doesn't
lessen the need for a new design of paper.
Designing Paper for Cycles
Back to the question: What is the future of paper?
To get at an answer from the perspective of Cradle
to Cradle Design, let's look at the inherent design
assignment.
We industrialized humans have designed ways of
recording and communicating that are culturally
physical, tactile, and aesthetically connecting
to the printed surface. So a 'paperless' world
isn't necessarily desirable. How might our design
for the future of paper celebrate this cultural
connection? What if we could design a paper that
respects this cultural need and incorporates the
latest electronic and material advancements, but
also honors the importance of trees, forests,
and habitat?
In many ways, the current product life cycle
of paper treats it as a technical nutrient. Nearly
50 million tons of paper are recycled every year
in the US. But with each trip through the recycling
process the cellulose fibers become shorter, requiring
the addition of 'virgin' pulp to maintain paper
quality. At MBDC, we call this 'downcycling' rather
than true recycling, because the material is in
a downward spiral toward an incinerator or landfill.
And what about the biological metabolism? If
cellulose is a 'natural' fiber, why not utilize
composting to turn paper back into valuable topsoil?
Unfortunately today's paper and printing processes
aren't very compatible with treating cellulose-based
paper as a biological nutrient, either. Ever catch
a chemical whiff the first time you open a new
magazine or newspaper? Most printing processes
use inks, polymer coatings, and solvents no right-minded
composter would want contaminating their backyard
bin or community windrow.
A New Design
So what is the future of paper? How can we design
a pleasantly tactile paper that can be cycled
infinitely (cradle to cradle) without loss of
quality.
Imagine a cradle to cradle paper system that
utilizes a polymer film for paper and prints information
with inks that can be easily and safely removed
for true recycling. And polymer 'paper' that feels
as good as cellulose-based papers.
These 'future' materials exist today. This system
is indeed possible. It's a question of collaborating
within a network of manufacturers, suppliers,
printers, paper users, and materials reutilizers—to
name a few of the roles—to create a true
cradle to cradle life cycle for paper.
A Book That's Not a Tree
 If
you are reading this article, you probably know
that Bill McDonough's and Michael Braungart's
new book, Cradle to Cradle, went on sale
a few weeks ago. The book itself is a physical
attempt to further this discussion about optimal
materials for paper: it is printed on polypropylene
film. (That's why the first chapter is titled,
'This book is not a tree.' )
The full system we envision for the future of
printed matter—easily removable and recyclable
inks, reversible binding materials, polymer paper
compatible with office printers and copiers, and
simple reprinting on reclaimed polymer film—is
still a ways away. Even the polypropylene Cradle
to Cradle is printed on is currently only
being downcycled commercially, though it is has
excellent potential as a 'technical nutrient'
for both its health and reutilization characteristics.
If only the system were in place to recapture
this value—over and over. Just think of the
opportunity.
Cradle to Cradle is a signal of intention
for the future of printed matter—an example
of what it might look and feel like. You'll still
enjoy curling up with Cradle to Cradle,
leafing through its pages (surprisingly nice to
the touch), and perhaps even carelessly reading
it in the bathtub (it's waterproof!).
So when you pick up a copy of Cradle to Cradle,
you'll find that it's meaning isn't just in what
it says, it's also in what it is.
Oh, and it's a pretty good read, too.
Cradle to Cradle's polymer printing surface
and water-resistant binding system together make
up Melcher Media's patent-pending DuraBook technology.
Cradle to Cradle graphic design and cover
art by Janine James/The
Moderns.
Buy Cradle to Cradle from your local bookstore,
order locally through Booksense,
or order from Amazon.com.
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