To replace paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom, use tea towels to dry dishes, old rags to clean, and sponges to wipe up spills. To replace facial tissues, invest in a few handkerchiefs that can be washed and reused. To replace napkins at the dinner table, purchase cloth napkins instead, which can be washed and reused as well.
If your family likes to go on picnics or camping trips, invest in reusable plastic dinnerware. You can get plates, bowls, cups, and utensils that are durable, unbreakable, reusable, and not made from paper.
Hemp is a versatile plant that grows much faster than a tree and produces more fiber. Hemp can be turned into fabric, writing paper, greeting cards, envelopes, and other paper products. Bamboo is another fast-growing species of plant that can be used for alternative paper products. You can find bamboo bathroom tissue, paper, towels, and even disposable dinnerware.
Any time you go to a restaurant or cafe for a takeout drink, take a reusable coffee mug or thermos with you for coffee, hot chocolate, or other warm beverages.
If your family is hesitant about switching, ask them to consider how much money they spend on paper bags and grocery bags every year. Then, compare that to the one-time cost of reusable bags.
There are lots of e-card services out there that allow you to personalize designs, messages, and graphics to suit your taste and the type of celebration. E-cards are also great for sending out invitations to parties, weddings, and other events.
Buying used books is also a good idea, because you’re reusing something that’s already been printed.
If you’re in school, ask your teacher if it’s OK that you take notes on a computer or laptop instead of in a notebook.
Many of today’s consumer items are wrapped multiple times, such as a candy that comes in an individual wrapper, within a bag that’s also placed inside a box. Instead, look for packaging that has a sticker instead of a full box, for instance, or a tag instead of an entire container. Similarly, buy items that haven’t been wrapped multiple times. Buying in bulk is a good way to reduce paper waste from packaging. Next time you or your family go shopping, make sure you take reusable bags and buy what you can in bulk.
Most fast food restaurants use paper products to individually wrap all food, so ask your family if you can eat at a conventional sit-down restaurant for your next night out.
When you do need to print something off, reduce the font, increase the margins, and print on both sides of the paper so the project can be printed on fewer pieces of paper. [2] X Research source If teachers and employers require that you hand in paper copies of projects and assignments, ask if you can instead submit them electronically. Before you print off an assignment, letter, or personal project, proofread it on the computer so you don’t have to print off a second draft.
For sensitive documents that shouldn’t be emailed, ask if you can save a copy directly to a flash drive. In the case where an original paper copy already exists and you need a record for your files, scan a version to your computer instead of making a photocopy. [3] X Research source When you need to provide copies of documents to friends, family, teachers, or people at work, ask if you can transmit files electronically using sharing services, email, or other electronic methods.
Bills Newsletters Monthly mailings Flyers and coupons Newspaper and magazine subscriptions
Both Google and Apple provide free calendar products. There are also plenty of calendar apps that you can use on smartphones or tablets.
There are lots of signs that you can print off from the internet that will help raise awareness about the importance of saving trees. The WWF has signs you can download and print. Make sure you print or draw your signs on reused paper (like the back of an old assignment). Trash containers and recycling bins are a great place for signs.
Bathroom tissues Printing paper Greeting cards Paper bags
If you only end up using one side of a piece of paper, you could consider using the back for mathematical calculations or sketches. Writing or printing in a smaller size or font will also help you cut down on the amount of paper you need for notes and projects. When writing in notebooks, always fill the pages without skipping lines (unless instructed to do so), and don’t start a fresh book until you’ve filled all the pages.
Newspaper can also be repurposed as an eco-friendly wrapping paper or tissue paper to stuff a gift bag. [6] X Research source
Origami Wreaths Paper flowers Paper mâché Dolls
