As we all know, one of the ways we can help our environment is to reuse paper instead of throwing it away.
It may not seem like much, but it becomes a lot when you consider the number of people who throw away paper every day.
Although recycling paper is good, reusing and reducing our paper use is even better.
Since each sheet of A4-sized paper weighs about 0.15 oz (4 g), imagine how many sheets are thrown out every day by just one office.
Paper can also be recycled if it has not been printed or written on already.
So what’s stopping you from using some eco-friendly tips?
Read On For Useful Tips To Help You Be More Environment Friendly
1) Use Reusable Items Instead Of Disposables
One of the easiest ways to help our environment is using reusable items instead of disposable ones.
If you need a container for food, then use a container that can be washed and reused instead of disposable containers.
One multi-purpose solution is to use water bottles to refill at drinking fountains.
Also, instead of using paper plates or plastic utensils, use your own.
This reduces waste and protects our health because it helps reduce exposure to dioxins, which are harmful environmental pollutants found in some types of paper and plastic.
2) Use Cloth Towels Instead Of Paper Towels And Toilet Paper
This tip will surely make your house eco-friendly as well.
Energy and resources go into making toilet paper and paper towels, so we cut down on using these products as an excellent way to help the environment.
Cloth towels can be reused many times, and if you’re incredibly diligent about it, you can wash them in cold water and hang them up to dry – no drier necessary.
The same goes for toilet paper – if you use clothes instead of TP, not only will you save trees, but you’ll also save on water and energy.
Alternatively, you can use organic toilet paper made from renewable bamboo as a more sustainable and eco-friendly choice.
3) Print Less
This one is a little more difficult to follow, but we can make a significant impact if we all try to print less.
Printing requires large amounts of energy, so by reducing the amount of printing we do, we’re helping to reduce our carbon footprint. If you don’t need a printed document, it’s best not to publish it.
For example, if you’re browsing the web and you come across a document that you think would be useful to print for future reference, try “print previewing” or “reading view” in your browser first.
If what you see looks okay on screen, there might not even be any point in printing it out.
4) Stop Junk Mail & Paper Solicitations
Throwing away junk mail every day is equivalent to throwing away one tree each year.
If junk mail makes up about 10% of your daily paper consumption, just imagine how much paper will go into the landfill when you throw out all that junk mail.
The easiest way to reduce this is by registering with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service.
This service allows you to stop receiving junk mail from companies that have sent you direct mail or telemarketing calls in the past.
You can even opt out of receiving pre-approved credit card and insurance offers.
5) Reduce The Amount Of Paper We Use By Using Technology
With increased technology, we can make good use of it to be more environmentally friendly.
If every American chooses electronic delivery for all correspondence with their elected officials, that will save about five million trees each year – enough to fill over one thousand average homes.
Remember to keep your privacy in mind when doing this, though. It is best not to give out your home address whenever possible.
Check here on how to contact your local congressperson.
6) Bring Your Reusable Bag
This is easy once you get into the habit of it. It only takes one plastic bag to make a significant impact, so remember to bring your reusable bag next time you go shopping.
If every American got their bag when grocery shopping, America would save 1 billion bags per year.
Also, after reading this, do not forget to share it with friends and family members who might benefit from these tips on how to be more environmentally friendly.
If everyone does their part to be more environmentally conscious, we can significantly impact the world. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it – for ourselves and future generations.
There are many ways we can be more eco-friendly, and by following some of these tips, you will be helping the environment in a big way.