May 16th is Love a Tree Day, a day that encourages all of us to care for and plant trees. We think Love a Tree Day is a fantastic idea. After all, trees enable us to provide you with the paper you use for business, education, and all of your creative projects.
Interesting tree facts
Between 1630 and 1910, the forested area of the United States declined from 1,023 million acres to 754 million acres. The good news is, thanks to sustainable forest management, we’ve slowly gone back up to the current total of 766 million acres of forest, a number that has held steady since 2012.
The tallest known tree is a redwood that measures 379 feet in height—that’s 72 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty! While that same tree is estimated to be about 800 years old, trees can live even longer—some for several thousand years.
And check this out: Studies have shown that office workers who have a view of trees report significantly less stress than those who don’t.
Why should we love trees?
There are so many reasons to love trees. To start with, trees provide:
- Beauty
- Shade
- Fruits and nuts
- Maple syrup
- A place to climb
- A place to hang a bird feeder
- A place to hang a hammock
- A foundation for treehouses
- A soothing, rustling sound to fall asleep to
Perhaps more importantly, trees absorb carbon dioxide and store it in their roots. They also absorb tons of water, which helps prevent flooding and the erosion of riverbanks. Trees even produce oxygen. In one year, a single mature tree produces about 260 lbs. of oxygen, and two trees produce enough oxygen to support a family of four.
Celebrating Love a Tree Day
There are dozens of great ways to celebrate the day and show your love for trees, including:
- Planting a tree
- Climbing a tree
- Reading under a tree
- Watering your trees
- Hugging a tree (selfies are a must)
- Taking a walk in the woods
But if you want to take your love of trees to the next level, look for the FSC- or SFI- Certified logos whenever you shop for wood and paper products.
The FSC and SFI
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an organization that sets standards for responsible forest management. They certify the forests that meet those standards, as well as the products sourced from them. The FSC certification logo is considered the gold standard by groups like Greenpeace, Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Federation. Most Hammermill® paper products are FSC-certified. The rest of our paper products are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), a collaborative group known for its work in standards, conservation, community, and education. It’s important to note that the SFI certifies organizations across the supply chain. In addition to copy and printer paper, here are a few more FSC- and SFI-certified products to look for:
- Paper towels
- Napkins
- Toilet paper
- Packaging for all kinds of products
- Lumber
- Wood for fuel
- Wood furniture
But in the end, celebrating Love a Tree Day can be as simple as choosing Hammermill paper for your home, school or business. Explore all of our sustainably sourced paper products here.
