Gginformation

PRINTED AT SIX SITES ACROSS Canada, The Globe and Mail sells almost 306,000 copies each weekday and over 380,000 on Saturday. Only the Toronto Star uses more newsprint.

Given its reach and consumption, the G&M commitment to using paper not derived from forests most in need of conservation matters in a country with so much fiber to provide but so much forest to protect.

G&M aims since June -- to avoid fiber from sources like the boreal forests or temperate rainforests, use more recycled papers of all sorts, reduce overall paper use, and consider non-wood fibers' papermaking potential -- led Nicole Rycroft, executive director of environmental publishing advocate Canopy, to call it the first big North American national daily "to develop an Ancient Forest Friendly policy."

Before she chaired the voluntary 15-member Project Green committee, the newspaper had a newsprint-procurement policy "already well under way," says Vice President and General Counsel Sue Gaudi. The Globe and Mail also works closely with its main printer and newsprint buyer, Transcontinental -- which earlier adopted a similar policy.

Canopy, says Gaudi, was "phenomenally helpful" in defining the issues," and the government "has a hand in it as well."

Her paper also deals directly with two Canadian newsprint makers, and "supply changes fairly regularly" among mills, although, "we do our best to source locally to the print plant and from certified forests," Gaudi says, referring to programs that identify products from soundly managed woodlands, notably the Forest Stewardship Council.

"We would like to see a lot more FSC supply. Right, now, there is very little FSC paper that meets [newspapers'] newsprint standards," she adds, noting reports of its tendency for Web breaks. She says no reason has been given, that she's looking into the reports, and that she is unsure if the breaks are coincidental or related to the use of FSC paper.

More recycled newsprint is sought, says Gaudi, but "it's being priced out of the market by China," which buys up all it can in North America. "I imagine the market will level out once they have more of their own." Though amounts vary by plant, up to 30% of the paper's newsprint is recycled. The newspaper has only just now accumulated enough data to establish its planned recycling benchmarks, says Gaudi.