I Need...Paper

I'm just looking for regular old paper this time. The kind that works great as printer paper but can also be used for drawing, doodling, painting or any other children's craft that you can think of.

The fact is that we use a lot of paper in our house. If you were snooping through my trash, you'd think I was running a business based on the amount of paper that goes into our recycling. But in reality, I just have two extremely talented budding artists (says the proud momma), and every evening I sneak into their playroom, gather up all the used pieces of paper, and make them disappear in the recycling bin.

Since we use a lot of paper, this is one area where my family can make a reasonably sized impact.

If you missed my post about why you should be more conscious about your paper purchases, you can review my Paper Primer here.

BABY STEPS

• Print on both sides of the paper. Utilize your printer settings and print on both sides whenever you're printing a multiple page document.
  
• Use the back sides of used paper for notes, lists, and drawings. If I forget to print on both sides, I pass the paper on to my kids, who are happy to fill up the back sides with their masterpieces.
• Don't print it out. Do you really need a hard copy? Will a digital copy do?

JOGGING STRIDE

• Buy recycled paper. The higher the post consumer content the better, and make sure it's bleached without chlorine.
  
• Buy FSC-certified paper. Check out this guide by the Forest Stewardship Council to find FSC-certified paper producers.
• Or buy both!
  

MARATHON RUNNER

• Go tree-free. Choose paper products from alternative sources such as hemp and bamboo. Both hemp and bamboo are fast-growing plants that can be used to make paper products. Look online for tree-free paper sources. I even found one online store selling banana paper, coffee paper, and mango paper.

Tips for the Budget Conscious
You can get a case of 5000 sheets of paper (100% post consumer content, FSC-certified) from Staples for $51.99.


Where I'm At: I've been buying 100% recycled paper, but haven't given much thought to the FSC certification. That's something I'll be looking for from now on.