Reduce pollution by recycling and using less paper
The pulp and paper industry is among the world's largest generators of air and water pollutants, waste products and the gases that cause climate change. It is also one of the largest users of raw materials, including fresh water, energy and forest fibers.
In Houston, paper accounts for about 40 percent of solid waste. Recycling paper reduces the amount of resources used and pollution caused by paper production. Each ton of recycled paper saves more than three cubic yards of landfill space; seven thousand gallons of water; seventeen trees; and forty-one-hundred kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Recycling is just one way to save paper. Make an effort to use less paper:
- You can copy on both sides of the page
- Reduce documents to fit two pages onto one
- cancel newspapers, newsletters and magazines you don't read or can access online, and take your name off mailing lists to reduce junk mail
- and make recycling easy by placing recycling bins in high traffic areas, including in the office near copier and fax machines, and in the kitchen
Save energy by using paper made from a high percentage of post-consumer waste - that's paper that is thrown away or recycled. It takes 60 percent less energy to manufacture paper from recycled stock than from trees or other raw materials.