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ere are some ideas for reducing the amount of
paper we use in our everyday lives and for
reusing paper items that collect in our homes and
offices. Add together small efforts that each of
us make to conserve paper and we can make a
positive impact for the environment. Not only
will we be consuming less, we will also be
throwing away less!
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| Reduce the flow
of unwanted mail |
and
catalogs by sending your name and address,
including any variations, to
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Phone 212/768-7227
Ask that your name be removed from mailing lists.
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| Stop catalogs |
Many
leading catolog companies now have their complete
merchandise inventory available online. Call the
customer service numbers listed in catalogs and
ask to be removed from their mailing lists. Ask
if they have an e-mail notification service for
updates and sales on their web sites or visit the
web sites to sign up for e-mail notices. If you'd
still like to get occasional paper catalogs from
certain companies, ask them to send fewer
catalogs, such as quarterly seasonal updates,
rather than monthly issues with frequent sales
notices. Also ask them to use recycled paper and
soy ink for their catalogs. Always recycle
catalogs when your are finished with them.
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| Unused return
envelopes |
that
are routinely put in many mailings, whether they
are needed or not, make a great place to write
grocery lists and reminders. Put coupons in the
envelope and jot down the item name on the list
(putting a "c" by the item will help
you remember you have a coupon for it!).
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| Bank online |
Save stamps and money
and reduce the mail load. Use the return
envelopes included in bills for grocery lists and
saving coupons as noted above. Use direct draw
payments when possible and cut out receiving
paper bills all together! When making payments by
mail for which you have to use your own
envelopes, select small envelopes perfectly sized
for sending checks rather than the larger
standard #10 envelopes.
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| Send e-mail
cards |
to friends and relatives
for special occasions instead of paper cards. We
can adjust our attitudes to accept these
thoughtful alternatives to paper as being equally
meaningful! "Free" online cards won't
be considered "cheap" if you add a nice
personal note to let the recipient know that
thought went into the gesture.
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| Plastic-lined
heavy brown paper bags |
in
which many kinds of dry pet food are packaged
make good liners for trash and recycle cans. Find
out if local animal shelters or rescue groups
collect the weight circles on pet food bags
before discarding them.
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| Spread newspaper
and dry pet food and cat litter bags |
(cut open to lie flat)
as the base on which to put mulch to cut down on
weeds in gardens and flower beds.
|
| Keep brown paper
bags |
folded neatly and cut
out homespun gift tags from them. Use colorful
markers to add a short greeting or verse. Add
pictures with stamp pads. Make a hole with a
hole-punch or, for a really handcrafted look,
fold back one corner of the tag and use scissors
to snip an "X" through which to add a
ribbon or cord. Old baling twine, of which there
is usually an excess in rural areas, gives a
great rustic appearance. String the cord through
the hole, hold ends together, and loop into a
knot. Tear one-inch wide strips from calico
fabric remnants and tie a short strip around the
cord near the tag to add color and a festive
look. These type tags are huge sellers at craft
fairs--be creative and try making your own.
Magazine holders made from cereal boxes (see
instructions below) are perfect for storing
folded paper bags.
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| Pretty gift
wrapping paper |
can be removed
carefully, rolled, and reused for a special,
small craft project. Make a new cover for your
address book or a cardboard magazine holder or
make an attractive cover for the unattractive
phone book. Cutouts can be used in decoupage
projects on furniture or papier-mache or can be
added as whimsical touches to plain lampshades.
Cover small boxes to use for storing jewelry,
stationary, compact discs, desk paraphernalia,
potpourri, or pressed flowers. A bit of patience,
scissors, and a gluestick is all that's
necessary. Everytime you look at the decorated
item, you can think of the happy occasion on
which you received the package wrapped in paper
that was "just too pretty to tear."
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| Cardboard cereal
boxes |
 can begin life anew as
holders for mail, magazines, or books. Neatly cut
off the top of the box. Then, using a ruler and a
pencil, on the front and back of the box draw a
line at an angle from the top edge to the side
edge (see illustration right). Cut away that
section from the front and back and the loose
section left on the side panel of the box. Reuse
saved wrapping paper (see above), old maps, or
extra wallpaper to cover the holder.
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| Please share
your ideas! |
for
reusing paper and cardboard and for reducing the
amount of paper we use. Whether practical or
creative, somebody else will probably be able to
use your idea! Working together we can make an
impact. Post ideas in the forum or email them to
theridgeview@mindspring.com
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I've seen enough cut trees hauled on trucks down the road past
my house to know that paper (and anything else made from
wood) is a precious commodity. We need to start thinking
of it in that light, as something of value, not to be
used thoughtlessly or to be disposed of carelessly.
Trees create habitat and produce food for wildlife. They
help cool the earth in summer and protect us from the
rough winds of winter. They create the very oxygen we
need to sustain life!
When a tree is cut, something grand is lost forever.
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