by Tanja Pabelick, 07.02.2011
A paperless world? Or at least one without books, magazines and mountains of copy paper? That's what manufacturers and supporters of modern reading devices are predicting. With tablet PCs , so-called readers or the nimble netbooks, the analog is supposed to be passé. Some are pained by the impending loss of a cultural asset, while others are grateful that they will finally no longer have to archive mountains of books, pore over heavy catalogs, or limit themselves to two books on vacation with a worried look at their suitcases. As always, there are two sides to the coin. But: How realistic is the loss of paper and printed matter? It is time to put all gloomy forecasts and joyful predictions to the test right now.
Once before, a digital revolution announced itself - and failed, at least with regard to cellulose consumption. After all, when computers conquered offices, digital archiving of data became possible and screens and the Internet made paperless correspondence possible, a positive effect on paper consumption and the environment was also expected. But the opposite happened: Where previously people weighed up whether a sheet should be clamped in the typewriter or whether carbon copies were really necessary, all of a sudden there was excess. The culprit: copiers, printers - and us. Since then, one push of a button and countless copies have been flitting into the output tray within seconds.
The emotional attachment to paper, reading, touching and turning pages is stronger than the enthusiasm for a bright, high-resolution screen. In addition to ingrained habits, people have tried to explain this rejection primarily in terms of appearance and handling: Up to now, a screen has been difficult to fit in a pocket or under the covers, and its use has been perceived by many as a strain on the eyes. But a change is on the horizon. The manufacturers of Kindle and other devices are equipping their devices with a display that reflects light like a conventional one. The screen is hardly any different from ink on paper, but its format is smaller and slimmer than most paperbacks. And in general, the future of the digital is in many ways a reproduction of the analog.
Goodbye to paperback?
The path to the paperless age is thus prepared and would only have to be taken. And even if some people find a world without daily newspapers and paperbacks unimaginable - a reduction in the paper madness would be more than desirable in view of our inflationary paper consumption. After all, the majority of consumption is made up of products that are consumed quickly and then thrown away, i.e. printing and press paper, daily newspapers, catalogs and magazines. This is followed by packaging, technical and hygiene papers. The figures are not only impressive but also shocking: in Germany alone, 18.5 million tons of paper are consumed each year. The real problem, however, is not the mountains of waste paper, but the masses of water used for production or recycling. This is because paper is produced using what is known as pulp: Fine cellulose fibers are mixed in copious amounts of water, then rinsed through large screens and dried. In Germany, 400 million liters of water flow for the production of paper alone - every day. To put these figures in an understandable context: In Berlin, the entire urban area, from industry and private households, uses only one tenth, just 40 million liters, per day.
Print, read, destroy
The seemingly unlimited availability of paper as a material ensures that it is underestimated in alternative applications. It has the stigma of being a cheap commodity stuck in an endless cycle of production, consumption, disposal and recycling. Products made of paper that are designed to last are rarely found. And yet paper as a material is experiencing a revival or relaunch in many areas, which can perhaps be explained by the impending departure. In addition, there is a renewed interest in green issues and sustainability, which is having an impact on our everyday behavior and purchasing decisions. After all, paper only represents an environmental impact where it is a disposable product. Any longer-term use has immense advantages over most materials in terms of ecological balance.
A blank sheet
Until now, paper hasn't had too easy a time competing against such adaptable and durable materials as plastic or wood. Now, the designers are approaching parchment and cardboard - but not without a bit of a bump, because paper doesn't exactly make it easy for designers. What is an aesthetic quality on the one hand is a disadvantage on the other. As cardboard, it is susceptible to dirt and water; as a simple sheet, it is fragile. Thus, the designer becomes a material researcher and paper architect, who has to develop new processing techniques or ensure statics via ingenious concepts. But just how poetic and delicate paper can be while remaining stable is exemplified by Molo's collection. The company's products are a cross between paper lanterns and honeycomb, can be stowed flat, freely shaped and set up as privacy screens or benches, and are much more resilient than they look. In addition, the topic of recycling becomes more prominent and, above all, more interesting when direct recycling is possible without refurbishing. For example, by turning an old moving box into a table under a bent aluminum silhouette, or - as with Muji - recycling old newspapers. Untwisted, they are used like a cord and braid around a wastebasket instead of sisal. A technique that has long been known from developing countries, but now seems much more restrained in the new context and the exclusive use of text pages.
Those who fear an end to Papyrus and Co. may thus be reassured. For the time being, we still have the choice and can decide based on the application. Saying goodbye, at least in part, to old habits, to printing out and throwing away, and to daily news in paper form, may not be such a great loss after all when viewed more closely. After all, what often becomes obsolete on the same day does not necessarily have to be archived. Nevertheless, nothing stands in the way of Hesse's complete works. But it could also be read on a soft chair made of paper - if it is as beautiful as Nendo's Cabbage Chair.
Even more paper is currently on display in Berlin, where a small exhibition shows the versatility of the material. "Paper Has Many Sides" is on view at the Museum of Communication through March 13, 2011. To the museum's website
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