The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships including their interaction with elements of the lithosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. The biosphere is postulated to have evolved beginning with a process of biopoiesis (which means life was created naturally from non living matter such as simple organic compounds) or biogenesis (life created from living matter) at least 3.5 billion years ago.
In other words biospheres are closed, self-regulating system containing multiple ecosystems, which may include those artificially, created or may exist in other planets or in their moons.
The planet earth is estimated to have originated around 4.5 billion years ago.
A false-color composite of global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September 2001 to August 2017. Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and ORBIMAGE.
The concept of biosphere is very important because we humans are integral part of biosphere and being the most advanced species on earth, we should also share highest level of responsibility towards maintaining and conserving the delicate balance of various ecosystems that is part of this biosphere.
We have only ONE MOTHER EARTH. It is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.. AND we must ACT NOW!!! Each one of us… and together we can conserve our biosphere by conserving our environment for future generation to enjoy by using (wherever possible) BIO DEGRADABLE, RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE and RECYCLABLE packaging material.
When compared to plastics and metal, paper certainly scores much higher point in all 3 above aspects of biodegradability, sustainability and recyclability.
However, many skeptics will still debate on the above statement by giving counter arguments hence it is necessary to place facts on the table so as to bring some much needed clarity on the subject on MYTH VS REALITY series..
The most common argument given by skeptics is that paper is made up of wood
(Tress) hence paper production leads to destruction of forest cover and some will even add some metrics to the debate that 1kg of paper will require 3-4 tress to be felled.
Probably this argument had some merit pre FSC, Chain of custody and PEFC certification in forest management (1993) world wide but not any more. The FSC (Forest Stewardship council), Chain of custody and PEFC (programme for endorsement of forest certification) have provided new direction to sustainable forest management, plantation forestry and it’s control mechanism.
This is applicable when we talk about virgin Pulp (raw material for paper) made from wood fibre.
Today paper is also made from Agro waste such as WHEAT, BAGASSE (Sugar cane waste), RICE STALKS, GRASS, and BAMBOO etc etc together with recycled paper and paperboard.
More and more businesses and nations are adopting this sustainable forestry models governed by these certification bodies having stricter rule and control over what goes into a paper and where does it come from.
This traceability together with responsible government’s action plan of seeking declaration by paper mills that the paper is produced from responsible source makes the above argument baseless as PAPER IS INDEED MORE RENEWABLE and SUSTAIABLE THAN PLASTICS.
A renewable resource is different from a nonrenewable resource; a nonrenewable resource is depleted and cannot be recovered once it is used SUCH AS PLASTICS.. In comparison responsible plantation and forestry management can regenerate tress.
Paper tends to come from a renewable resource in wood pulp, and other cellulose fibers. Plastic tends to come from non-renewable feedstock in petrochemicals like crude oil and natural gas. Even bio- degradable plastics also contain majority plastics from NON RENEWABLE feedstock.
In other words biospheres are closed, self-regulating system containing multiple ecosystems, which may include those artificially, created or may exist in other planets or in their moons.
The planet earth is estimated to have originated around 4.5 billion years ago.
A false-color composite of global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September 2001 to August 2017. Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and ORBIMAGE.
The concept of biosphere is very important because we humans are integral part of biosphere and being the most advanced species on earth, we should also share highest level of responsibility towards maintaining and conserving the delicate balance of various ecosystems that is part of this biosphere.
We have only ONE MOTHER EARTH. It is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.. AND we must ACT NOW!!! Each one of us… and together we can conserve our biosphere by conserving our environment for future generation to enjoy by using (wherever possible) BIO DEGRADABLE, RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE and RECYCLABLE packaging material.
When compared to plastics and metal, paper certainly scores much higher point in all 3 above aspects of biodegradability, sustainability and recyclability.
However, many skeptics will still debate on the above statement by giving counter arguments hence it is necessary to place facts on the table so as to bring some much needed clarity on the subject on MYTH VS REALITY series..
The most common argument given by skeptics is that paper is made up of wood
(Tress) hence paper production leads to destruction of forest cover and some will even add some metrics to the debate that 1kg of paper will require 3-4 tress to be felled.
Probably this argument had some merit pre FSC, Chain of custody and PEFC certification in forest management (1993) world wide but not any more. The FSC (Forest Stewardship council), Chain of custody and PEFC (programme for endorsement of forest certification) have provided new direction to sustainable forest management, plantation forestry and it’s control mechanism.
This is applicable when we talk about virgin Pulp (raw material for paper) made from wood fibre.
Today paper is also made from Agro waste such as WHEAT, BAGASSE (Sugar cane waste), RICE STALKS, GRASS, and BAMBOO etc etc together with recycled paper and paperboard.
More and more businesses and nations are adopting this sustainable forestry models governed by these certification bodies having stricter rule and control over what goes into a paper and where does it come from.
This traceability together with responsible government’s action plan of seeking declaration by paper mills that the paper is produced from responsible source makes the above argument baseless as PAPER IS INDEED MORE RENEWABLE and SUSTAIABLE THAN PLASTICS.
A renewable resource is different from a nonrenewable resource; a nonrenewable resource is depleted and cannot be recovered once it is used SUCH AS PLASTICS.. In comparison responsible plantation and forestry management can regenerate tress.
Paper tends to come from a renewable resource in wood pulp, and other cellulose fibers. Plastic tends to come from non-renewable feedstock in petrochemicals like crude oil and natural gas. Even bio- degradable plastics also contain majority plastics from NON RENEWABLE feedstock.