Categories: LifestyleRecycle

5 Tips to Reduce Paper Waste

Office paper represents roughly 50% of the waste bill from the average business – US offices print about 12.1 trillion sheets of paper annually, contributing about 9% of carbon dioxide emissions.

Here are 5 tips to reduce paper waste:

  1. Use Smart Eco-Friendly Font. Your ink cartridges last longer if your fonts required less ink to print. The new Ecofont allows you print less with small circles removed from the style, which isn’t visible when the text size is used at the size 12 or size 10.
  2. Print Double-Sided. Double-sided printing will cut paper use in half AND save money.
  3. Edit, Read, and Write Online. Try editing documents, reading newspapers & magazines online, and sending messages online to cut paper waste.
  4. Promote Reuse. If you can’t print double-sided, use the other side as scrap paper. And when you’re finished using both sides…
  5. Recycle! Make sure to recycle paper AND printer cartridges! Find local retailers who recycle cartridges, and make sure your business is recycling paper. Increase awareness by placing marked bins for employees.

Posted by Julie

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.

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