22 July 2008

simple ways to reduce paper waste: part 2

Part 2 of 2
Read part 1 here

6. Drink from a reusable coffee cup

Save paper, save the water used to make the paper, and spare the dump another piece of rubbish. Pick your vessel!











"We are happy to serve you" ceramic mug


Sumo Emotions Cup [Uncommon Goods]













Oxo Good Grips Liquiseal Travel Mug

Photo Travel Mug - Silver 14oz

Customizable Photo Travel Mug - Silver 14oz [Kodak Gallery]

7. Use recycled paper products
Choose napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, and tissues made from paper, not from trees. Go with these brands that are both high quality and environmentally friendly:

AVOID: Bounty, Scott, Viva, Kleenex, Puffs, Charmin, Cottonelle (they're all made from trees!)

Better yet, opt for cloth napkins at meals, dish towels to clean up spills, and handkerchiefs to wipe your nose. Keep rags handy to wipe up really nasty spills.

8. Make your own greeting cards and wrapping paper
  • Turn old cards into new cards here
  • Repurpose old magazines before you toss them in the recycling bin. I like to cut out images from magazines and glue them to a piece of card stock or on an old or ugly card I have lying around
  • Use a colorful page of the newspaper to wrap gifts
  • Wrap gifts in a nice piece of fabric like a scarf, furoshiki style
  • Reuse tissue paper from clothing shops or gifts you've received
  • Take care when you open gifts and reuse the paper later on
If you don't have time to make your own, buy recycled. Here are some options:
Not sure if the card you want is recycled? Flip it over and take a look!

9. Use both sides
  • Making copies? Set the copy machine to print double sided. This can be done whether the original is 2-sided or not.
  • Finished with that printout? Flip it over and use it for note taking or doodling
10. Narrow the margins

The default setting for Microsoft Word margins is 1.25". You can make them narrower by selecting "Page Setup" (usually found in the "File" menu) and changing them to .75". Just think of all the paper you'll save when you're printing your novel or latest screenplay.

Join the Change the Margins campaign.

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