As seen on GreenBiz.com.

A report, released by the Environmental Paper Network, examines how the paper is made today in the face of growing environmental awareness in the U.S., and calls for major changes across the industry to reduce impact and increase sustainability.

The need for this assessment, the group says, is that a "green wave" is sweeping North America, with ever-increasing numbers of consumers and companies seeking to address and minimize their impact on the environment. In recent months, companies across many niches of the industry have adopted green paper policies, including Victoria's Secret, Williams Sonoma, Staples, FedEx-Kinkos and Random House.

The report's findings detail a list of negative environmental impacts, including:
• The paper industry is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries.
• Paper accounts for 25 percent of landfill waste, the largest of any single component.
• Paper production accounts for over 40 percent of the world's industrial wood harvest
• Paper production is one of the world's largest consumers and polluters of fresh water
• Paper production continues to come into conflict with indigenous and other communities around the world over land rights, culture, human health, and livelihoods

But at the same time, the green wave cited by the report's authors include significant opportunities for companies to embrace:
• Growing market demand for environmentally responsible paper products
• Growing acreage of Forest Stewardship Council certified sustainable forestry
• Cleaner production and alternatives to chlorine bleaching
• Increasing recovery of waste paper
• The emergence of innovative, corporate leaders.

Among the improvements the EPN would like to see from the industry are responsible, certified forestry practices, paper recyling and recovery, a move to reduce paper consumption by its customers, and a shift toward clean production that reduces bleach and toxin emissions.

The full report, "The State of the Paper Industry: Monitoring the Indicators of Environmental Performance," is available for download from GreenBiz.