What do you think the world's paper use was before the internet vs. after?
Do you think before the internet we used alot more paper/ killed more trees? Do you think we use significantly less since the internet became pretty “mainstream?”?
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i would hope paper is still pretty widely used… it could be dangerous during parades to throw lap-tops instead of confetti!
Imagine writing all of this fluthering on paper? People would be in jail right now
@Dr_C – I would like a laptop to be thrown at me!
@Tink1113 if you’d ever been hit in the face with a stray lap-top you would be singing a different tune… Epic ouch!
@Dr_C – If it was free I wouldn’t mind. I would heal and get a free laptop
the world wide demand for paper has dropped an average of 4% per year since a peak in 1999. There was an extremely large drop in November, as many newspapers went out of print, but the overall loss is expected to level off at 4 – 5% per year.
Documents and ideas are disseminated more than ever, but as a percentage of the total, much less paper than in the past. An equilibrium will take place which will make paper use a mature and declining percentage. Not to zero, for many years, but severely reduced. When the next generation Kindles/laptops/Internet/handhelds get perfected, a whole new dynamic for the new generation will blossom. And, in 50 years trees will help the environment once again as they did in our forefathers past. Explore paper alternatives, it will help mankind and conserve a wasteful practice that although was important to our progress, will evolve.
If my junk mail is any indication, the paper industry is alive and well and better than ever.
before the internet, people get their news primarily through newspapers. nowadays people turn to the internet as a source of current events. Infact, newspapers and magazines have now lower advertisments than before leading to less profit. Subscriptions are being canceled reflecting on the less demand for newspapers and magazines. Therefore less demand then less supply, and less use of papers.
Who’s giving out free laptops?
@Tink1113 Not quite true, the Gates Foundation is giving away thousands of free laptops, but only to schools, and selected students based on Foundation guidelines. Other companies are giving them away as promotions when you buy something.
@Tink1113—Ask at your local school for an application, or many you could find it online, I believe the guildelines requirements relate to financial need and student status.
Worldwide paper consumption, according to the World Resources Institute, has been growing every year since the Internet entered the scene. The table below shows the paper consumption per capita for the world.
However, paper consumption in the US has been declining in almost every year since it peaked in 1999 (see below). It has increased in years where the economy has been good since 1999, and declined when the economy is bad. I’ll bet there’s been a severe decline in 2009.
International Per Capita Paper consumption
Year . kilograms/person/year
2005 54.48
2004 55.41
2003 54.17
2002 53.2
2001 52.73
2000 53.49
1999 53.37
1998 50.57
1997 51.34
1996 49.01
1995 48.72
1994 47.44
1993 45.43
1992 45.13
1991 45.09
1990 45.48
1989 45.15
1988 44.48
1987 42.86
1986 41.29
1985 39.71
1984 39.82
1983 37.67
1982 36.43
1981 37.59
1980 38.04
1979 38.53
1978 37.3
1977 35.96
1976 35.4
1975 32.06
1974 37.39
1973 37.66
1972 35.71
1971 34.1
1970 34.04
1969 33.79
1968 32.04
1967 30.32
1966 30.63
1965 29.12
1964 28.07
1963 26.72
1962 25.69
1961 25.15
United States Per Capita Paper consumption
2005 297.05
2004 306.57
2003 304.16
2002 309.14
2001 308.07
2000 328.67
1999 340.47
1998 330.03
1997 337.49
1996 319.07
1995 333.45
1994 321.91
1993 309.95
1992 302.85
1991 298
1990 306.26
1989 301.65
1988 306.89
1987 303.38
1986 291.81
1985 280.48
1984 286.06
1983 265.87
1982 249.55
1981 263.53
1980 262.89
1979 273.31
1978 271.98
1977 256.55
1976 249.5
1975 220.11
1974 260.23
1973 267.34
1972 257.17
1971 240.3
1970 236.79
1969 244.73
1968 232.73
1967 220.27
1966 226
1965 211.45
1964 202.61
1963 193.6
1962 190.18
1961 184.54
Source
@daloon Excellent source. The information there is quite different from what the industry people were saying at the Paper producers convention I read about.
It drives me nuts to see billions of newspapers tossed and many delivered daily but hardly read. We need to dispense with that waste.
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