How to Lessen Paper Use

Paper comes into our lives by the ton everyday. It clutters our rooms, kills our trees, and is generally unnecessary in our ever evolving technological world. Although to completely rid yourself of paper use is next to impossible, you can cut back its use by a significant amount. Not only will your life be less wasteful and more organized, you can save a lot of money in the process.

Things You’ll Need:

Regular Access to a Computer and the Internet

Junk mail

Step 1:
Bills, bills, bills: The first thing you can do for yourself is limit the amount of mail you receive by processing as many bills online as you can. Not only will this lessen the potential to lose your bill, you will save a lot of money on stamps, envelopes, and potential late fees. Most bill companies have this option as it also saves them the same money on stamps, envelopes and the potential of never receiving payment. In addition, check with your bank to see if you can establish a bill payment system through them. Then, you can go to one place every month to pay most if not all of your bills.

Step 2:
Organize finances on your computer: Invest in a software program that will keep up with all of your bank records and statements for you. Or learn how to balance your checking and/or savings accounts on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Most banks will allow you to download your statements from their website, again, saving them a lot of money. You can save your statements for as long as you need and stay on top of your finances and budget without every using a paper shredder or risk losing your banking information to someone else.

Step 3:
Re-use printer paper: You have and will encounter a lot of printer-sized paper (8.5-by-11-inch) that you can print on again. These usually come in your mail box in the form of junk mail--letters from credit card companies that have a whole blank backs to them of which you can make use. Or they may be memos from work or information from your teacher that also have blank sides to use. You use this type of scrap paper when you need to print out something that you is only for your eyes to see. For example, printing out directions for a long car trip, rough drafts of your school papers, or possibly, casual letters and/or assignments given to those people who respect your re-use of paper. This waste I feel no guilt throwing into the recycling bin when I am done with them.

Step 4:
Scrap paper piles: How many times in your life have you wanted to write down a note, thought, or compute numbers and you grab a fresh piece of paper after which you discard? Think Re-use in times like this. Every time you receive paper, either recycle it or keep it in a small pile near your desk or telephone. This can be unavoidable receipts, sheets from old desk calendars, or any other non-printer friendly scrap paper that has a blank side to. No more need for the waste of memo pads or notebooks.

Step 5:
Text yourself reminder notes: If you do need to keep a reminder note for yourself, one suggestion is to text yourself. If you don't want to pay for it, save it in your drafts and don't send it. Every time you open up your text message center, you will see either the draft or the text from yourself.

Step 6:
Read eHow article: "How to Reduce Trash." This article has a lot of great ideas about reducing paper waste including using cloth instead of paper towels, and re-using old socks and shirts for cleaning around the house.

Step 7:
Read eHow article: "How to Organize Paper Clutter--Six File Fix." This will help organize those papers that are unavoidable to keep.

Source: ehow.com