Re: oil inputs to paper?

["Rebecca Leighton Katers" <cwac@execpc.com>]

  Paper mills use large amounts of energy to pump, 
  heat, and treat the process water which carries the pulp 
  slurries, and to dry off the final paper 
  products..  The forest management, 
  wood cutting, hauling, chipping and 
  delignification stages of pulp mills also use 
  energy.  The converting processes,where large 
  sheets of paper are cut, embossed, printed, and 
  packaged into a multitude of products also uses 
  energy.  Transportation of the final products 
  takes energy.   And finally, the disposal of waste 
  sludges, used paper products,  and wastewater 
  treatment uses energy. 
  
  One large mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has it's own 
  70 kwh coal-fired power plant.   Other mills burn fuel oil
  or natural gas.   Several of our big mills simply 
  purchase electricity from our public utility, 
  which happens to burn coal, but could just as 
  well be burning petroleum products.
  
  All this is not to say that plastic products are 
  preferable.    I always choose RE-USABLE, DURABLE 
  products, rather than disposable paper or 
  plastic, whenever possible.
  
  Rebecca Leighton Katers
  Clean Water Action Council of N.E. Wisconsin
  2220 Deckner Avenue
  Green Bay, WI 54302
  Phone:  414-468-4243
  Fax:  414-468-1234
  E-mail:  cwac@execpc.com