The process to obtain this Ilford Multigrade Fiber Photographic Paper is a lot more impactful than previously anticipated. The very components which make this product work for photographers are components which largely impact the planet. Paper and silver might just be the two least favorable ingredients environmentally, as both are leading factors in climate change.
To make paper, let alone paper of this quality, deforestation is a main concern. Possibly considering a more eco-friendly base to replace fiber such as raw organic 100% recycled paper would reduce the environmental impact. To obtain the silver hallide crystals vital to make the paper photosensitive one must obtain mine silver. Mining is also causing deforestation yet is also causing soil erosion, water pollution, eutrophication, etcetera. This ingredient is the most vital to the paper since without it, an image would never appear. For this reason, I feel that either the paper company may result to use less crystals which would possibly change the development process yet might still work. If instead of using synthetic resin to raw resin from recycled plants from crop waste, this might compensate for the “half” change that would allow for a total environmental impact reduction. In sum, I’ve come to see the massive energy and resource use that comes into this product, which may change the future of photography for good.
