For EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing and Dragon Moon Press (referred to as "The Publisher"), our “carbon footprint” is significantly higher than the average person’s. Simply put, "The Publisher" prints books and this process uses up trees; this is what most people know. What some people don’t know is what "The Publisher" plans to do about our “carbon footprint”.
"The Publisher" is concerned that in a few decades, the trees that we take for granted now may not be able to keep up with the amount of pollution and carbon that we as a society spew into the atmosphere. Each year, Americans use 50 million tons of paper consuming more than 850 million trees (http://library.thinkquest.org/
There are approximately 2,000 trees cut down every day for the use of paper or wood products, therefore the world looses 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year. As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less that 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists (http://www.rain-
Over the next year, "The Publisher" is doing our share in rebuilding the forests that are cut down each year. For every tree "The Publisher uses for our books, we are donating a percentage of our sales to plant a new tree(s) to help relieve our “carbon footprint” so that the next generation can breathe clean air, and get the proper medication needed.
The “Paper or Plastic Debate” over whether it is better to use paper bags or plastic bags has been in discussion for a long time. Environmentalists have often debated over the correct answer to the “Paper or Plastic Debate”, which turns out to be NEITHER! To help the environment, reusable canvas bags are the best solution. They will never have to use energy to be recycled or take up space in a landfill. The next time you buy a book (or two or three) from "The Publisher" at a convention, you will receive a canvas bag that can be used and reused so that you too can cut back on your “carbon footprint”.
