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Some facts about the environmental impact of paper.

In aggregate, the amount of paper used by modern industrial societies is staggering. The financial industry represents a significant percentage of that paper use. Though we often take it for granted, the lifecycle cost of paper–including production, transportation, and disposal—has a tremendous impact on the environment.

In one year, by switching from paper to electronic billing, statements, and payments, the average American household would...

  • Save 6 pounds of paper
  • Save 23 pounds of wood
  • Prevent producing 29 pounds of greenhouse gases
    • Saving this amount of greenhouse gas is the equivalent of:
      • The emissions avoided by not driving 30 miles
      • The emissions avoided by not consuming 2 gallons of gasoline
      • Planting 0.4 tree seedlings and allowing them to grow for 10 years

If only 20% of American households switched from paper to electronic bills, statements and payments each year, the collective impact would...

  • Save 146,930,912 pounds of paper
  • Save 542,669,898 pounds of wood
  • Prevent producing 689,437,189 pounds (312,709 tons) of greenhouse gases
    • Saving this amount of greenhouse gas is the equivalent of:
      • The emissions avoided by not driving 700,798,252 miles
      • Taking 60,939 cars off the road
      • The emissions avoided by not consuming 35.2 million gallons of gasoline
      • Planting 8.7 million tree seedlings and allowing them to grow for 10 years
      • Preserving 1,069 acres of forest from deforestation
  • Avoid creating 1,632,318,487 gallons of wastewater
  • Avoid creating enough wastewater to fill 2,472 Olympic-size swimming pools
  • Avoid filling 7,011,224 household garbage bags with waste
  • Avoid filling 5,008 garbage trucks with waste
  • Avoid using 14,936,853 gallons of gasoline to mail bills, statements, and payments

Many people and businesses making small changes add up to a big difference!

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