It’s important for people to have unrestricted access to these essential products. For example, it is important for us all to be able to choose how we receive information from the government, whether in paper format or digital. Or for us to have the choice of paper bags at the grocery line check-out.
Today, U.S. forests are strong. More than 1 billion trees are planted each year in the U.S. One-third of the U.S. is forested, totaling nearly 766 million acres.
Trees are one of our most abundant renewable resources. And, a healthy forest products industry goes hand-in-hand with healthy forests.
Forests are rich ecosystems that provide numerous benefits to the environment and the community. Forests and the products made from them offset approximately 13% of all annual U.S. carbon dioxide emissions each year. Forests also help clean the air we breathe and water we drink.
Sustainable forest management on forest land is critical for the future of our nation’s forests. Healthy, managed forests support biodiversity while protecting forestland from disease, insect infestations, invasive species, and wildfires.
What We’re Doing
Our industry is a leader in promoting sustainable forest management. Our Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 goal to advance more resilient U.S. forests will further these efforts.
We will continue to support conservation and restoration programs, educate about the need for forests and promote sustainable forest management practices through certified sourcing programs, forest certification and other means.
Paper and digital formats work together to deliver the information people need. Some people naturally have preferences. And sometimes that preference is driven by things like access to the internet or a computer. The Federal Communications Commission estimates 25% of rural Americans don’t have access to broadband.
With the government moving to digitize, that often means changing preferences to require the public to “opt-in” to continue receiving information or interact using paper.
What We’re Doing
AF&PA believes the public should be able to choose how they receive information and services from the government. We support polices that give people the option to receive paper without having to opt-in.
And we support providing adequate public notice and the opportunity for anyone affected to weigh in before a decision is made.