So we're reverting back to killing trees.
- the digital revolution made people actually use more paper
- you get a shit ton of paper from a single tree; how much resources do you need to use to manufacture a computer, and keep it running?
- paper is recyclable
- as long as you keep recycling paper, it actually makes sense to plant trees and then cut it down - it sucks CO₂ out of the atmosphere and keeps it out
However I think that has turned around in recent years, worldwide paper production volumes are decreasing.
That may be true of regular paper and/or the overall production of paper products, but with all the increased retail shipping I would be very surprised if it's true of cardboard.
The pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest industrial user of energy, consuming 6.4 EJ in 2005, and a significant emitter of greenhouse gas (source EIA report 2008).
Paper consumption has risen by 400% in the past 40 years. 35% of trees harvested are due to paper manufacture.
6.5+ million trees were cut down to make 16 billion paper cups used by US consumers, only for coffee, in 2006.
Paper waste accounts for up to 40% of total waste in the United States. 71.6 tons per year.
Sources: Wikipedia, WWF, FAO