Me for one.
Lots of people have jobs at the Rock-Tenn paper mills where half of the
wastepaper in the state is recycled into boxboard or cardboard.
These mostly union jobs provide livable wages for all manner of persons. Lots
of these folks do live in St. Paul, there are a few that bike to work, I used
to myself, some take the #16 bus, I used to do that as well, and some commute
over great distance. I really don't think you can pigeonhole the diverse
workforce that Rock-Tenn represents.
There are young people, old people (like me), white people, african-american,
hispanic, asian, men, women, handicapped persons (again me) and more.
These folks work in a profession that they learn on the job, pays well, and is
not likely to be an easily replaced income if lost.
The transport of 1000+ tons daily of Minnesota's wastepaper to more distant
processors (likely Nebraska) would be a much greater burden on the atmosphere.
Not only would the transportation costs be greater, the processing costs would
be nearly the same.
A proposed burner to supply the Rock-Tenn energy needs will provide a cleaner
source of energy than the coal burning High Bridge facility has. Elimination of
the mill might shift environmental concerns out of local minds, but it would
only be that - a shift because the impact to the earth's atmosphere would be
much more severe.