Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Pinocchio, and other Toothpicks.

7,499,999 Toothpicks can be made from a single (not married) fifteen year old tree.   In answer to the obvious question...NO, I did not actually count them.   The statistic actually said 7,500,000 toothpicks, but I found that hard to believe!  Maine is the Toothpick capitol of America, so if you have any questions I suggest you look there.  

Pinocchio was made of pine, however, I have been unable to find out exactly how many trees it took.  If anybody out there knows I would be glad to hear.

Paper is mostly made from pine trees.  Five pine trees are planted for every pine tree cut down to make paper.   Paper mills also use the scrap products from sawmills and lumber companies.   Cotton and other plant fibers along with clay are added together in the process of papermaking.   Since paper can be recycled five to seven times (depending on who you ask) you can see it is very sustainable.   When the cycle reaches the last usable cycle, the pulp is used to enrich farming soil, and in making toilet paper.   When you use a toilet paper that has recycled paper content, you not only use fibers that are at the end of the useful cycle, but you get to brag to friends and family that you use recycled toilet paper!

As one anonymous 18-th century poet wrote...

RAGS make paper.
PAPER makes money.
MONEY makes banks.
BANKS make loans.
LOANS make beggars.
BEGGARS make rags.

Around and around we go!   Paper is really very "green" when you remember that the forests that grow the raw material, produce oxygen etc over the growing years, before being cutdown for harvest.   Paper is here to stay.   Can you image going into a Doctors office and seeing no diplomas on the wall?   If you don't see any, you may wish to find another doctor!

Please have a safe 4-th of July, if you celebrate in U.S.A.  And to my friends in Great Britain...Ha-ha-ha!

2 comments:

HH said...

Haha "single..(not married)" haha you have such a funny sense of humor!!

Anonymous said...

Pinnochio was made of pine? oh i thought it was birch