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Paper waste is a major contribution to the total waste at landfills, being approximately 26% of it. [1] X Research source Although paper is biodegradable and trees are continuously planted for global paper consumption every day, there are often more efficient ways of utilizing paper when it comes in handy. This article will teach you some ways to reduce paper waste.
Steps
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Print out documents only if you absolutely need to. Instead, save them electronically whenever possible. While it may be easier to print documents, since you won't have to log on to a computer or smartphone to find them, there are some disadvantages to printing.
- Printed documents tend to get lost. You could end up losing them in a pile of other supplies, or you may simply forget where you placed them. As a result, you may not be able to find the document when you need it.
- They may take up a lot of space. Especially if you have a lot of other things, adding a document to the mix will likely result in more space being used.
- You may forget to bring them along with you. If you need to bring the document somewhere, you may forget it by accident. If the document is saved on a computer, you don't have to worry about bringing it somewhere, since you can simply log on to a computer and find it.
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Consider electronically saving documents. This has additional benefits, instead of printing them. You can easily find documents this way since you'll likely have your phone with you most of the time, and they won't take up much physical space.
- You can use drive storage programs to save your documents, such as Google Drive or OneDrive, so that they won't get lost and you can access them from any device, anywhere, at any time. With these programs, you'll also likely be able to give and receive feedback on your document easier. [7] X Research source
- Remember what you name all of your files and if you place them in any folders (and if so, the name of the folder). Otherwise, you may not be able to find them when you need them.
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Print double-sided if you need to print. While the process for doing this may vary depending on the printer, it's typically not very difficult. [8] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source This method will also cost you 50% less since you won't need to use a second sheet of paper.
- Double-check beforehand to see if your printer allows double-sided printing. If it doesn't, you can still print double-sided manually .
- Using smaller (but still readable) fonts if possible can also be helpful, since what you're printing may not even end up on a second page.
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While paper cups and dinnerware may seem convenient, they can harm the environment. For example, if the paper product has been utilized for food (such as a carton or paper plate), it typically cannot be recycled. In addition, while waste that reaches landfills might be sealed in a plastic container or bin (and occasionally buried) and thus prevent harmful materials from reaching the environment, the product (whether it's paper or plastic) will not be able to break down. [23] X Research source Use reusable cups and dinnerware instead of dinnerware in your daily life, and the next time you have a picnic or dinner party.
- Reusable dinnerware can also typically be used a lot more than disposable dinnerware.
- Recently, many people have started using edible dinnerware, too. It is made from seaweed and not genetically modified. If you don't want to buy real dinnerware, this is another option for what you can purchase.
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Use proper cups and mugs instead of paper ones. As with paper dinnerware, many paper cups end up in the trash, rivers, seas oceans, or landfills because people just throw them away instead of disposing of them properly. This leads to a lot of paper simply being wasted.
- Furthermore, many paper cups have a plastic liner which many recycling programs do not accept (though check with yours—it may be accepted).
- When you go out, remember to always keep a reusable cup with you. Some companies (such as Starbucks) may be able to pour your drink into your reusable cup, so be sure to ask. [24] X Research source
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QuestionWhy should I reduce paper waste?ButterflyCommunity AnswerReducing paper waste helps save millions of trees and lots of landfill space. In addition, it will reduce water and land pollution. Reducing paper waste is one major contribution you can easily make to protecting our environmental resources.
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References
- ↑ https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/paper-waste-facts
- ↑ https://www.visionofearth.org/live-green/31-ways-to-reduce-paper-usage/
- ↑ https://doitgreen.org/tips/reduce-paper-waste-office/
- ↑ https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/wrapping-christmas-presents-with-newspaper-essay-48059448
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/05/at-home/wrapping-activity.html
- ↑ https://www.cutterskiphire.com.au/10-interesting-recycling-facts-that-will-surprise-you-and-what-you-can-do/
- ↑ https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/print-on-both-sides-of-the-paper-duplex-printing-in-word-2cd60d2f-3a57-4210-96ac-9a6ca71ca7a3
- ↑ https://www.indiawaterportal.org/opportunities/advantages-recycling-paper
- ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/save-trees/how-to-identify-better-paper
- ↑ https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
- ↑ https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
- ↑ https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
- ↑ https://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Paper/Alternatives.html
- ↑ https://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Paper/Alternatives.html
- ↑ https://www.everydayhealth.com/green-health/daily-living/tips/paper-or-plastic.aspx
- ↑ https://www.greenmatters.com/p/will-starbucks-fill-reusable-cup
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