Despite technology's prominence in the 21st century, when it comes to education and productivity, students and parents still prefer the oldest technology, paper.

In fact, the clear majority of parents (96 percent) feel that paper is essential to learning. The recently released, Paper and Productive Learning: The Third Annual Back-to-School Report from the Paper and Packaging Board (P+PB), reveals that 93 percent of college students and 87 percent of 7-12 grade students believe that paper is an essential part of being able to achieve their educational goals.  The Paper and Productive Learning report exclusively shares the results of a survey conducted by IPSOS, which surveyed over 1,400 students and parents in the United States.

While the report notes that about 8 in 10 people (79 percent) surveyed think paper and packaging is relevant in their daily lives, findings about the value of paper in learning among millennial parents were surprising. Nearly 89 percent of millennial parents believe their child remembers assignments better when he or she writes them down on paper. 72.4 percent of them agree they have seen their child have trouble staying focused when they do homework on a computer or tablet. Fully 95 percent of millennial parents believe paper is an essential part of children being able to achieve their educational goals.  Students today, who have grown up with smartphones and tablets, actually prefer to use paper for learning, with two out of three (70 percent) 7-12 grade students preparing for tests by taking handwritten class notes. Half of students (50 percent) surveyed in grades 7 and 8 believe they best learn information by handwriting it. When it comes to exam preparation, over eight in ten (81 percent) of college students report always/often using paper tools, such as notecards, handouts, study sheets or printed lectures/slides.  Reading on paper is also beneficial for successful learning, development and retention.

In an essay written for the report, Dr. Naomi Baron, professor of linguistics at American University and author of Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World, says, "in a study I did with over 400 university students in five countries, 92 percent of participants said the reading platform on which they concentrate best is print." She also notes that students say they remember more when they read on printed material.  To promote the mental and physical benefits reading on paper can provide P+PB will introduce a new reading program later this summer. The 15 Pages A Day program will encourage everyone to pledge to read at least 15 print pages daily to yield several potential benefits including increased language and mental development as well as improved memory.  

Canada's forests are among the most sustainably managed in the world, and our forest sector is leading the way in innovation and environmental responsibility through new clean technologies. 

Michel Picard, Member of Parliament for Montarville, on behalf of Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, today announced $1.34 million in funding to Enerlab 2000 Inc. as part of the government's commitment to furthering the advancement of clean technology in Canada.  The funding is provided through Natural Resources Canada's Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program.  Enerlab 2000 Inc. will use its iso-lignin technology to produce insulation panels using lignin from black liquor, a byproduct of the pulp and paper process and an underutilized renewable resource. The project's objective is to replace petroleum-based raw materials in the manufacture of insulating and structural panels. By using its iso-lignin technology, the facility expects to cut its production cost of raw materials by 20 percent and reduce its environmental footprint.  The project will deliver economic benefits to the local community and surrounding region by improving the facility's competitiveness, enhancing productive capacity and diversifying its product base. 

 On June 1, 2017, the IFIT program received a further $55 million over three years as part of the Government of Canada's $867-million response to support worker and forest-dependent communities that have been affected by U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber. This new funding will enable future innovative transformative technologies for the sector.  Quotes "Today's announcement is a further example of our government's dedication to supporting renewable resources to further the advancement of clean technology in Canada. By using a waste product of the pulp and paper process in place of petroleum-based raw materials, Enerlab is helping address the challenge of climate change."  Michel Picard  Member of Parliament for Montarville.