How to Use Less Paper at the Office

Photo: Jll Fromer / Istock

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Who hasn't been frustrated by a neighbor in the next cubicle who tosses office paper into the trash, rather than the recycling bin? Who hasn't wondered if the paper in that recycling bin actually gets recycled? Or if the office really needs to use all that paper in the first place?

If you've found yourself feeling guilty about all the trees that were sacrificed for that memo about the new company dress code, try the Environmental Defense Fund's new Paper Calculator 2.0, an updated version of a tool that it says has helped thousands of businesses reduce their paper use.

The tool quantifies the environmental impact of a company's choice in paper. Having those numbers can arm the interested employee with the facts needed to change purchasing decisions.

For instance, switching your annual order of 100 tons of copy paper to a paper with 50% recycled content could save 173 tons of wood, 100,000 pounds of greenhouse gases, hundreds of pounds of toxic air and water pollutants and more than 50,000 pounds of solid waste.

The average American consumes more than 700 pounds of paper a year, according to The State of the Paper Industry, a 2007 report bu a coalition of environmental groups. Among the report's findings: The paper industry is the fourth-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among manufacturers and paper accounts for one-third of landfill waste. Reducing paper consumption just 10% – the rough equivalent of getting your office to buy paper with more recycled content – would be like taking 280,000 cars off the road.

Reduce Paper Use With These Easy Tips

Tweak Computer Settings Before Hitting "Print"
Use Cloth Dinner Napkins
Shred Used Office Paper for Packaging
Rediscover Your Local Library
Reuse Paper Bags
Biodegradable Doggie Bags
Be a Post-Consumer Consumer
Pay Bills Online
Use Dish Towels Instead of Paper Towels
Take One Step Toward a Paperless Office
Save a Bird: Buy Recycled Paper
Print Both Sides Now
Paper or Plastic? Say No to Both

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