Paper, Paper Everywhere!

Printed side of salvaged paper

the beautifully blank flipsides

Paper is ubiquitous, and it's central to our daily lives as well as to the issue of environmental sustainability. This is especially true if you're a student- we're constantly surrounded by event fliers, handouts, and term papers (yes, hard copies do still exist). Coincidentally, paper is also something that we use up all the time. Here's a relatively simple idea: if there's an abundance of a resource around us, why not use that supply instead of throwing it out and buying new paper?

Many of you are probably thinking, "duh, that's called recycling." But there's a huge gap that we're missing here: reusing. Paper that's only been printed on one side has only been half used, so we can cut out the middle man (and our paper budget) and just use the other side instead of throwing it in the recycling bin, using energy to process it, and then buying a package of recycled printer paper.

And now you're thinking, "duh, double-sided printing"- but I'm proposing something a little more resourceful. Lots of things are printed on only one side, mostly fliers that are hanging everywhere around workplaces, coffeeshops, and schools. By collecting these materials, you can gather a stockpile of perfectly good paper for all of your printing and writing needs, saving resources and money at the same time!

My tactics for collecting paper:
1. The best source for me is fliers for events that have gone by. Dates on fliers are usually big, so these are easy to spot. Look on bulletin boards (or anywhere if you're a student, they're all over campuses).
2. Look in recycling bins- especially the ones next to a printer or copier. These are almost always full of barely-printed on, virtually new printer paper.
3. If you're a student or work in an office, chances are you frequently turn in printed reports and the like. Reuse these sheets if you get them back (carefully take out staples and they're good as new).

Uses for your reused paper:
1. Print anything you would print on new paper on the blank sides. (I like this better than just double-sided printing because lots of things I need to print are only one page).
2. Use it as scrap paper, instead of small note pads and sticky notes.
3. MAKE YOUR OWN LINED NOTEBOOKS! (I'll be posting the instructions for making these next.)

This might seem a simple and obvious suggestion, but here's my rationale for sharing it: I have yet to see anyone else do this. This was precisely my reason for starting this blog: the solution to a happy life that treads lightly on the Earth lies in simplicity. The answers are in plain sight, and I want to share the ones that I have found.