Is “paperless” truly possible? Although the Internet, electronic signatures and records, email, and portable tablets/smartphones have decreased our need for paper, there may still be occasions when it’s necessary to break out the old-fashioned loose leaf.
There are, however, a number of steps that you can take to cut down on your paper use. Let’s save some trees!
Cut down on junk mail
it’s annoying! It’s also a huge waste of paper. There are a number of steps you can take to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, which you can check out here.
Print only when necessary
Avoid printing records, documents, receipts, etc., unless it’s absolutely necessary. Try to keep these records backed up on flash drives, external hard drives or online storage. If you must print, be sure to print on both sides of the paper.
Use recycled products. If you must purchase paper products, be sure to look for the “recycled” logo, or search for alternatives to traditional, forest-destructive paper.
Paper towels are overrated
Does your household always seem to be out of paper towels? Cut down on paper towel use with some of these great (not to mention, economical) alternatives.
Purchase a tablet or smartphone
“Going green” is a great excuse to splurge on the latest tablet notebook! Use the “notes” function (or one of these fun apps) for note taking in class, grocery lists, post-it reminders, calendars, schedules, etc.
Buy a portable, electronic device for reading books
One single electronic device can hold thousands of traditional paperbacks.
Tis the season
During the holiday seasons, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions, consider using one of these cool alternatives to traditional wrapping paper.
Skip the paper plates & cups
If you’re throwing a party or hosting a get-together, take the environmentally friendly route and use washable/reusable dishware. And conserve water too by running a full load.
Take advantage of scrap paper
We’ve all had those “I hate technology” moments when the printer has a meltdown and decides to print lines of gibberish on 5 straight pages. Keep these sheets – along with old newspapers, junk mail, etc. – for those little “forget me not” notes or for other scrap paper purposes.
Pay bills electronically
Not only is this practice eco-friendly, it’s also immediate!
Most of these measures actually make your life a little easier, too. Who really wants to deal with paper bills or junk mail anyway? Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving “paperless” status. The forests will thank you (and so will we)!
Brought to you by justenergy.com
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