Carbon Neutral fine papers from VIDA
In recent years, debate about the environment has largely focused on global warming. All around the world, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have come under the spotlight.
Hardly anyone can now be unaware that trees bind carbon dioxide and that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect. What is less well known is that a substantial contribution to reducing the greenhouse effect can also be made by simply using paper and wood products! Young trees grow by fixing carbon from the atmosphere, old trees have already done their growing. It is a simple fact that a responsible policy of harvesting and replanting of forests reduces carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
In Sweden, where we operate, five trees are planted for every one that is felled. Our calculations are so conservative that even if we calculate this as each felled tree being replaced by only one sapling that reaches its full age, then we still leave a negative carbon footprint. Our safety margin in calculation is huge. Put straightforwardly: our logging, production and distribution emit less carbon dioxide than is bound by the young growing trees that are planted.

VIDA Paper and carbon dioxide: positive story - negative footprint!
The “total carbon dioxide emissions” of any product are popularly referred to as its carbon footprint. This concept provides an excellent reference point for highlighting where, in any manufacturing process greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.
So be assured that our brands: Scandia 2000, Lessebo Design, Kaskad and Colorit finepapers are amongst Europe’s best. Not only as regards quality but also, as you now know, climate friendliness through carbon neutrality.
Our geographical location, in such close proximity to our raw material also means that we can minimise carbon release in transportation. At present around 25 % of VIDA’s transport is by rail. This percentage will gradually increase. Each cubic metre transporting by rail instead of by road reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 3/4.
We are also reintroducing waste organic material to the forest areas that we harvest as compostable fertilizer and we are developing our own energy producing company: VIDA Energi. The latter handles all residues and produces emission-neutral energy from biomass fuels. Besides heating our plants, surplus energy is also used to heat many homes local to VIDA sites. The environmental solutions we are employing at VIDA are cutting edge, varied and growing. We do not stop at Carbon Footprint as a measure of our environmental concern and responsibility.
All this contributes to our pulp and paper mill in Lessebo having a carbon footprint and set of environmental standards that is amongst Europe’s most impressive for paper manufacturers. Impressive here meaning “least impact on the environment”! Vida products must have the “lightest” footprint possible in the broadest context of the word “footprint”.
Our calculations have included all emissions and our customers must have the security that our calculations are made within the accepted standards laid down by The Paper Industry, our Swedish National Government and the European Central Government. To ensure that you might have confidence in our claims the figures utilized have been verified by independent, Swedish Government backed, commercial and academic institutions. Details of these can be found on our website.

Our footprint details are no secret our calculations are transparent
For this reason VIDA Paper’s carbon dioxide calculations are available here on this website. You will also be able to read about the initiatives that are systematically reducing our carbon footprint.