If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Regarding “New Dawn for the ‘Sun,” by Rosemary Olson, in the May 13-19, 2015 issue, first let me compliment you on the Sun’s new cover layout design. However, I was sorry to see that you switched to a new, slick, whiter paper stock. This cosmetic change is not, in my view, an improvement.
Shiny paper like this has to be coated with clay and other chemicals which reduce the post-consumer fiber content by 50 percent. That means that it is less recyclable. Plus, the whiter the paper, the more chlorine is needed to bleach the wood fiber. The chlorine waste from this process goes into our environment. (We consumers can also reduce this toxic waste by choosing brown paper napkins, towels and toilet paper where possible.)
I have enjoyed reading the Sun for over 27 years, and I have been perfectly happy with the good old newsprint paper stock. As you work to improve our paper, I hope you will tread lightly by recognizing those aspects that are already serving well, and that don’t need “fixing.”
Daniel Keller, San Rafael
