Since 2010, the Two Sides campaign by nonprofit organization Two Sides North America, Chicago, Illinois, has successfully influenced the change or removal of misleading environmental claims by more than 700 organizations globally and more than 130 in North America, including many of the world’s largest corporations.

With huge pressures on the economy, banks, telecom providers, utility companies and even governmental organizations are increasingly focused on switching their customers from paper to digital services to cut costs. All too often their customer communications attempt to mask these cost-saving efforts, justifying the switch with unfounded environmental marketing appeals such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and help save a tree.”

TSNA President Phil Riebel stated that not only are these greenwash claims in breach of established environmental marketing rules, but they are hugely damaging to an industry which has a solid and continually improving environmental record. Far from “saving trees,” a healthy market for forest products such as paper encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management. Many of the organizations the organization engages are surprised to learn that over the last 30 years, US forests have grown by some 18 million acres while net forest area in Canada has remained about the same.

For more information, visit www.twosidesna.org.