Well finally a photo paper made from recycled components has been released. The GreenPix Photo Matte is the paper in question.
The only problem of course is that the paper is currently made in the US, so I would have to ship via a carrier across the atlantic. Now can I deliverably do this? Should I do this? What's the carbon cost of air freight... (ps I don't want to know)
This raises a great question - in that we really don't know the full lifecycle of anything that we buy. The final product may have been assembled in the UK say, but where have the constinuent components come from. For example, one report suggests (also cited here) that buying roses from Kenya instead of from Holland will produce a fifth of the CO2. Essentially because of the fact that in Holland, the greenhouses will have to be heated.
There are other issues involved of course including work conditions in the various countries. Also it does raise the issue of should be get away from requirement to give roses early in the year. So can we move Valentine's Day to later in the year so I can give truely English grown roses???
oh.. and I'm going to check where my Epson photo paper has been made!