How to Reduce Paper Waste: 6 Ways
Paper has been used for a very long time, and 93% of it comes from trees. Because of that, deforestation is a serious problem the world is facing nowadays.
5-Minute Crafts wants to show you 6 easy ways to potentially reduce your paper usage at home, at school, or in the office.
1. Read the news online instead of purchasing newspapers.
Newspapers use a high amount of paper since the pages are quite large, and they get printed every day. Instead of picking one up, try reading your daily news on your phone or tablet.
2. Avoid printing.
Instead of printing, consider saving your documents electronically. Besides reducing the amount of paper you use, you can also find your files much quicker. Just remember to name all your files and keep track of where you save them.
3. Use cloth towels instead of napkins.
Every day, a huge amount of paper is wasted on single-use items, like paper towels and napkins. Switching to something reusable, like napkins made from cloth, can keep plenty of paper from being wasted.
4. Take notes on your phone instead of a notepad.
Notepads are another common item used daily. But if we used our computers or smartphones to write our notes and grocery store shopping lists instead, we would end up saving a lot of paper.
5. Send e-mails instead of letters.
Traditional mail and letters also require a lot of paper. E-mails are delivered much faster than letters and you can send them at any time. If you prefer not to e-mail the person you’re trying to contact, a call or a text serve as 2 additional options.
6. Reuse it.
If you have old paper lying around the house, try to reuse it rather than throwing it away and creating more waste. Here are a few ways you can do this:
- Wrapping gifts
- Packing fragile materials, like vases or glass
- Using it as a cage liner for your pets
- Cleaning with it
- Using it as compost
- Making origami
- Using it as a fire starter for your fireplace
