Revista de biodiversidad y especies en peligro de extinción

Economics of Paper Use in Higher Learning Institutions and Its Implications to Climate Change

Abstract

Zella AY

This paper was an attempt to reveal the less known economics of paper use in higher learning institutions and its contribution to climate change using The Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA)-Zanzibar as a case study. The cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected using a paper survey tool and interviews. Simple calculations were used to address the cost incurred each semester to buy paper at MNMA. The annual amount of trees exploited from the environment to make paper used by MNMA was estimated using a conversion ratio developed by FAO. Amount of carbon released to the atmosphere was estimated by using formula adopted by WWF. The investigation found that MNMA-Zanzibar has a total semester paper consumption of about 364 reams of different types. The semester cost of buying these reams was found to be about 2,910,000 TZS. Environmental cost was estimated at about 27 trees exploited to suffice semester paper use at MNMA-Zanzibar. The exploited trees per semester releases total carbon of 6.91 tons+2.01 tons and 2.78 tons+1.15 tons for Montane and Lowland forest trees species respectively suitable for paper production. The study concluded that, there is huge consumption of paper in higher learning institutions. The study suggested interventions for reducing massive consumption of papers in higher learning institutions includes introduction of paper use policy which will include among other measures such as electronic storage; paperless meeting, paper reuse, two side printing, sharing of documents electronically and awareness creation on paper use.