Whitelines' notebooks are made in Sweden, with very low environmental stress in all parts of the production/logistics chain. The paper mill does not emit any carbon dioxide, so the paper used in the pads has an exceptional environmental record.
Environment
Whitelines® – a Pioneer in Environmental Awareness and Responsibility
Whitelines® believes in transparency
- Whitelines is one of the first paper vendors in the world, if not the first, to use the CARBON FOOTPRINT * labelling.
- Whitelines paper comes from Sweden with no C02 emissions from production.
- Made in Sweden - Local production.
- Energy production in Sweden, which forms a very low carbon emission mix.
- Short transportation distances to Whitelines warehouse and only bulk deliveries overseas.
The Carbon Footprint of a Whitelines “Wire A4” notebook for example is 0,36 kg Carbon Dioxide. This is the sum of CO2 emitted from the whole production cycle and transportation to our warehouse in Växjö, Sweden. The Carbon Footprint is calculated throuch a LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) carried out by NEWA in collaboration with the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. In brief the emissions for our products come from Forestry – Logging – Transport from the woods to the mill – Paper production – Print and Post print – Transport to our warehouse.
Each step causes different amount of emissions. We are very proud to present a paper which itself doesn´t cause any emissions from fossil fuel at all! Displayed in brief the production of the inlay causes in each step:
0,36 kg as Carbon Footprint; means nothing to me?
“When we first started with this it didn´t mean a thing to us either, but we thought we had to start somewhere. We learned quickly and soon realised that we could actually make a change. Now we know that our emissions are extremely low.” Carl-Philippe Carr, founder Whitelines
At Whitelines, we make a serious effort to decrease our carbon footprint. We work to keep the emissions from production extremely low by using local production and a unique partnership with a Swedish pulp and paper mill (Nymölla mill) which produces carbon neutral paper. Our focus is on preventing emis- sions rather than compensating for them.
We claim that Whitelines® paper is healthier for the planet but would happily be challenged by other companies. All kinds of consumption causes stress on the climate, and users, distributors and producers must share this common concern. Our objective is of course to reduce the harm to the planet, not to win a silly competition between companies.
* A Carbon Footprint is the total amount of Greenhouse Gas Emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product.
FAQ
Actually, no. The Nymolla Mill in southern Sweden is an ultra-modern paper production plant which re-uses the Carbon Dioxide in a closed-loop. There are no CO2-emissions from the plant.
Shipping large batches by boat means hardly any CO2 - emissions per notepad. In addition, the boats use the books and pads as ballast which makes the freight all the more sound. The emissions that still remain are compensated for by Whitelines.
The amount of ink used to create the background tint is comparable to the amount of ink used to create ordinary black or grey lines on white paper; imagine that you take a line and ?smear? it out to become tint instead.
- A carbon footprint is the total set of Greenhouse Gas Emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product. (Wikipedia, UK Carbon Trust 2008)
- Whitelines has chosen to focus on Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is the most important and debated Greenhouse Gas. It's considered to be one of the main causes of Global Warming.
- "When we first started with this it didn't mean a thing to us either, but we thought we had to start somewhere and soon realised that we could actually make a change". (Olof Hansson, inventor)
- 10 miles with a big car emits about 4-5 kg CO2. A hamburger meal about 2-3 kg.
- At Whitelines, we make a serious effort to decrease our carbon footprint. It's clearly stated on each notebook how much emission of CO2 that specific pad has led to. Whitelines is probably the first vendor in the world to adequately calculate and communicate this environmental stress.
The remaining yet low emissions, mainly from transport, are from 2009 being offset by planting trees in Africa (Uganda). Whitelines will gradually move from a low and explicit carbon footprint, to Zero Carbon Footprint. This is done together with the organisation U & W (www.uwab.se).
The paper used in Whitelines' pads, MultiCopy, is labelled with the Nordic Swan, the EU Flower, TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) label, and is also available FSC-labelled. All countries has its own eco-labelling system. That's the main reason Whitelines has chosen to work with the Carbon Footprint ? it is neutral, objective, and possible to calculate and audit regardless of geography.
The paper in Whitelines' pads comes from wood; thinnings from managed forests in southern Sweden and saw mill chips. Managed forests are harvested and planted; thus renewed all the time. Being a country with long traditions in forestry, pulp & paper, the renewal of forests is an integrated and natural process. Nymolla Mill, where Whitelines' paper is produced, is certified in accordance with Chain of Custody FSC and PEFC.
No, normally not. This is due to a small amount of hardwood in the pulp, and the relevance of the FSC-labelling is being questioned in this case. The pulp is the basis of the high quality of our paper. By combining the short fibers of hardwood pulp with the strong long fibers of softwood pulp, our paper can achieve various desired properties. Our own pulp is produced using a so-called ?magnefite? process and is TCF (Totally Chlorine Free). The pulp is mixed with the filling agent PCC (Precipitated Calcium Carbonate), which is specially adapted to our paper. All of our paper is ageing resistant.
*FSC, or the Forest Stewardship Council, is an an international organisation that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests.
The mill used to produce Whitelines paper was chlorine-free already in 1993.