The 3 R's : Paper

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Paper

Paper use is expected to double by 2020*. The average consumer uses over 700 pounds of paper products every year, which is 10 times more than a century ago, and almost twice the per capita consumption since the 1970s.** There are a number of things we can do to reduce our consumption of paper. A few ideas are on this list, which will be updated often. Click here to send your tips!

Reduce

• Only print what's necessary.
• Make the point size smaller in your documents to reduce the number of printouts.
• Send people PDFs instead of printouts.
• Eliminate fax cover sheets by using self-adhesive fax notes.
• Order supplies by phone, email or online.
• Purchase office supplies with the highest Postconsumer content as possible (to learn more, click here.)
• Don't overprint: find out how many people need to receive what you are sending out.
• Before designing a project, get estimates from printers first. Often times, during the negotiations for cost reduction, printers will suggest a different trim size. For example, printing an 8.5" x 11" brochure will cost more than 8.5" x 10 7/8". It's only a 1/8" difference on the height, but depending on the quantity of your brochures, the savings could be in the thousands of dollars, and much less paper waste.
• Spec the paper weight that is suffecient to perform the job. This saves you on postage too.
• Ask your designer to spec recycled paper or even tree-free paper (lots of beautiful options, i.e. cotton, kenaf, bamboo, bagasse, etc.).
• Tired of junk mail? Go to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) or www.stopwaste.org's brochure to find out more.

Reuse

• Use the other side of printed sheets when documents are not in the final stages, like proofing text or emails for example. (Have a stack ready to load your printer.)
• Cut scraps of paper and use them as notes.
• Save cardboard boxes for a future shipping.
• Avoid paper products as much as possible: use cloth towels instead of paper towel, use a ceramic mug instead of paper cup.
• Reuse file folders.
• Donate your old books, trade and consumer magazines to your local library.

Recycle

• Recycling is simple: just have separate trash cans set up for paper, bottles, and trash. On the day of trash collection, it's a lot easier to bring them out.
• Recycling pickup is free, therefore the more you sort out from trash, the more you can save in refusal pickup fees.
• Buy recycled too. It helps to solidify the market for post-consumer products in the marketplace.
• Look for new and unique opportunities to reduce, reuse or recycle paper products.
• Display the recycled symbol and PCW content on your printed materials.