Step #6 - Go Paperless

Photo from conservationreport.com

Usually when we think about paper we usually think about the white, letter or legal size, 50grams, bond paper piece. Also whenever we think about the environmental effects of using paper, most of us think about deforestation. However there is much more than that. Newspapers, cereal boxes, tissues, mail, napkins, bottle labels, shopping bags, boxes, etc, are some of the main uses of paper. And of course there are many other effects on the environment.

• Half the world's forests have already been cleared or burned, and 80% of what's left has been seriously degraded.  (Remember that forests store 50% of the world's terrestrial carbon. Which means they are incredibly important "carbon sinks" that hold onto pollution that would otherwise lead to global warming.
• Air pollution - Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are all emitted during paper manufacturing. Nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are major contributors of acid rain, whereas CO2 is a greenhouse gas responsible for climate change.
• The paper industry is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries, and contributes 9% of the manufacturing sector's carbon emissions.
• Cutting 10% of the United States office paper use would be equivalent of taking 280,000 cars off the road.
• Paper waste accounts for up to 40% of total waste in the United States, which adds up to 71.6 million tons of waste per year in the United States alone.
• Landfills account for one third of human-related methane emissions (and methane is 23-times more potent a greenhouse gas than is carbon dioxide).
• Compared to using virgin wood, paper made with 100% recycled content uses 44% less energy, produces 38% less greenhouse gas emissions, 50% less wastewater, 49% less solid waste and 100% less wood.
• Printing and writing papers use the least amount of recycled content -- just 6%. Tissues use the most, at 45%, and newsprint is not far behind, at 32%.

What can you do? Here are easy, simple steps to help the planet

• Recycle, recycle, recycle. Paper is one of those things you can keep recycling, take advantage of that.
• Print smartly – use both sides of the page, use narrow margins
• Use less paper towels and napkins. Go back in time and start using cloth towels and napkins
• Go online – try to go paperless with your bank accounts, utilities bills, etc. Also when paying, pay online. You are saving all the envelopes, balance sheets, checks, stamps and money.
• Always look for the “use with recycled materials” label on whatever you buy. Then you can make sure you are not sacrificing a tree every time you buy something in a box.
• When grocery shopping, bring your own reusable bag, instead of taking store bags (paper or plastic)
• If you don’t need a receipt, don’t ask for it and say no when offered. They are small, but think about all the transactions you do over time, and it definitely adds to a good amount of paper

What are you doing to save the planet?

Sources:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/7447#ixzz1uQJjdEOr

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_with_paper
http://ezinearticles.com/?Paper-Towels---Effect-on-the-Environment&id=4612910