Ernst, but the fact of the matter is that there is a change going on. Of course HM Bamboo is not green in a realistic way, this is still pure marketing. What is important though that this creates a shift of mind in the industry, the next one will follow. HM seems to have changed their marketing strategy (in the last 2 years) from "a traditional paper maker" to "an innovative paper maker" and I must say I think they made the right decision. And yes, maybe the coating of the paper is in the end made at Sihl, but who cares? Sihl is not promoting green papers, is it?! HM is taking the marketing expense, Sihl produces.
rgrds, Jochem
Ernst Dinkla,Dec 14 2007, 04:07 AM]
Doug,
I read similar comments every time I mention my doubts but I never see a reference where bamboo is compared with numbers on aspects like you mention. Right now about 3% of paper pulp comes from bamboo sources. Any source of pulp is used as the demand in China etc for pulp increases dramatically. But that percentage stays. Bamboo isn't replacing another source and there is no news of bamboo plantations created for paper pulp production. There are some reports though about old bamboo forest plundered like there's more forest plundered in S.E. Asia. What I did read about the energy that goes into the pulp production of different pulp sources is that there's little difference.
True it grows fast, the variety of bamboo delivers all kinds of products and it looks fantastic. But you have to cut a lot of bamboo to get the equivalent in usable pulp that a production tree delivers. That's it. No further magic.
http://www.tappsa.co.za/archive2/APPW_2004...f_non-wood.htmlhttp://www.globalhemp.com/Archives/Magazin...t_friendly.htmlThere's more to read as I have done after the enthusiasts embraced Hahnemuhle's Bamboo. Just look what HM tells about its bamboo sources, certification of pulp source plantations, etc. Nada. I bet they can get better ecological documents on the table for their wood pulp (as required in the EU) than for the bamboo pulp. The main pulp source of HM is wood, then cotton (and that is bad), then bamboo. I guess it isn't 3% of their production. There will be other alpha fiber sources too I guess.
I like to be green in a realistic way.
Ernst Dinkla
try:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=160594\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
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