You’re bombarded with messages about lowering your carbon footprint, minimizing your impact on the planet, living sustainably, using less and reusing more. And you want to help, but sometimes making purchasing decisions with countless environmental considerations can be downright overwhelming. Well, we’d like to make your paper buying just a bit easier.
Paper Use Is Increasing
No matter how many times people tell you that paper is dead, do not believe them. In fact, demand for paper is expected to double before 2030! (Source: theworldcounts.com). If you look at one of the most paper-dependent industries, books—you’ll see that paper books still outsell their digital counterparts. And no matter what people say, there will always be paper love notes, paper leave behinds, and paper artwork. We cherish these items and need to touch them—they say something to and about us long after we hit print.
Americans use an astounding 90 million short tons of paper and paperboard each year—that’s 700 pounds per person—the most on earth! The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper per year. Put it this way: as only five percent of the planet’s population, we American’s consume more than 30% of the paper. And despite great strides in recycling, about 35% of landfill weight is attributed to paper. Being mindful of your paper use is one of the most effective ways to cut back on waste.
So here are three easy ways you can still go green when you’re going for paper:
Consider the Company
Deforestation is the biggest threat from paper waste. At Double A, sustainability is our highest value, and we strive for environmental care throughout every step of the manufacturing process:
- First, we protect the biodiversity of our native forests and eliminate deforestation by engineering and planting our own Double A Paper-Tree, which were designed for quick maturation.
- Second, we grow these trees in the unused space between rice paddies known as KHAN-NA, using space that would otherwise be wasted.
- Third, after we use majority of the tree for paper, we transform the remaining into energy, converting the unusable biomass into usable energy for us and the surrounding community.
- Fourth, we collect rainwater during the Thai rainy seasons to replenish our own reservoir, and we share this with the community as well.
Print Double Sided
Using each side of the paper is an extension of our KHAN-NA approach to use the unusable space and eliminate waste. Whenever it makes sense, please try to use every bit of the paper. Double A paper has a very high opacity, so you can print on both sides without worrying about bleed through.
Reuse!
Give the paper another chance. Consider other uses for unused or barely used paper. Create your own scratch note-pad—and encourage others to follow suit. Your small impact in the office could build up to the larger culture adopted in your office.
You can feel good about going with paper when you follow these simple suggestions.