Today I am writing in my office to which inspired me to talk about what I do in my office to help lower my paper usage. I understand that often we need to use paper, sending a birthday cards, signing an important document, keeping notes, you name it. But, I have developed some habits that I think will help you cut down on your paper consumption too!
Print to PDF
The first thing I would recommend is printing to “PDF” when you can. We have a whole digital world that can store all our documents, and we can retrieve them anytime we need them. It took a while for my boss to get on board with digital files and digital signatures but it has now become standard practice in my office and for that I am grateful. Not only does it cut down on my paper waste and ink consumption, but I no longer have to physically store papers away in filing cabinets. Win/win if you ask me!
Use recycled paper
If you absolutely need to print documents, plan ahead by buying already recycled paper. It is usually the same cost as regular paper but no new trees are cut down to make it.
Use ALL of the notebook
If you like to keep notes in a notebook, like me, then remember to use the back of each page as well as the front. It is lined for a reason! I also like to take my kids notebooks from school that they are finished with and remove all the used pages and keep the notebook with the few unused pages for future use. They may be a little beat up on the outside but they are perfect for my scratch notes.
Consider Recycling and Reusing it yourself
Here at Rowell Ranch we gather all our scrap paper and recycle it into our stationary paper for thank you notes. It is a fun process that the whole family likes to partake in and creates the most beautiful paper!
But if you don’t want to recycle it on your own there are other ways you can reuse it at home too. You can add it to your compost, use it as packing material when shipping and storing things, or make it into wrapping paper. Back when plans for construction projects were only printed I used to bring home the old ones and let the kids color and draw on it and then use it to wrap gifts. It creates one of a kind wrapping paper, that’s for sure.
Remember you don’t need to make all these changes all at once, but start with trying one thing at a time. Small changes over time will create a large impact, and it’s a more sustainable approach too!
We appreciate you reading and be sure to subscribe and follow us on social media to be sure to keep up with all the goings on here at the ranch. And remember, one small step in the right direction is all it takes for you to make a difference!
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