An online search inadvertently led me to a recently released report from the group ForestEthics.
They rate pencils/pencil companies in terms of friendliness to the Sierra Nevada forests of California. Some of the marks are for specific pencils, while others are for entire companies.
Here are their basic ratings (see the report for details):
ForestChoice: A
Greenline Paper Company: A
Green Apple: C
Paper Mate: C
Dixon/Ticonderoga: F
USA Gold: F
Well, I’m sure a few problems with this rating are obvious. Pencils that probably twice crossed an ocean may not not be harming the Sierra Nevada, but that hardly makes them environmentally ideal.
Greenline (which I had not previously heard of) is additionally problematic in another way – these rolled newspaper pencils have been discussed here before, and their environmental benefits are far from clear.