Paper is one of the most versatile and important materials used in homes, schools, offices, and businesses throughout the world. Each day we enjoy the benefits of paper products. The newspaper we read in the morning, the box that holds our cereal, the paper we use for homework and business purposes and the documents that mark the significant achievements of our lives all contribute to our daily quality of life.
Paper dates back over 2,000 years. Hand-made production methods were used until the 19th century. The industrialization of the paper making process helped to bring education and books to a broad spectrum of people, and continued advances have resulted in better and more efficient products that meet our daily needs, while leaving a smaller footprint on our environment.
Americans recycled more than 50 percent of the paper we used in 2007, but we need to do more. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves natural resources, and saves landfill space. 80 percent of America�s paper mills are designed to use paper collected in recycling programs, and they depend on paper recycling to have the materials they need to operate.
Everywhere you look you see one thing: paper. From posters and notebooks to cardboard boxes and magazines, paper is part of our everyday lives. Paper takes up over 40% of our waste stream, making it the top material that we throw away. That means for every 100 pounds of trash we throw away, about 35 pounds of it is paper! If we could just recycle one morning newspaper every day, we could save 41,000 trees from being cut down and greatly reduce our carbon footprint.
Paper recycling is the process of manufacturing old paper products and turning them into new, reusable paper products. Recycling old paper products uses 60% less energy than manufacturing it from new materials.
Making paper is a relatively easy process. Paper is made from trees, and every single part of the tree is either chopped up to make products or burned to create energy. If everyone in the U.S. reused a paper bag during their shopping trips about 60,000 trees would be saved and could be used to increase the flow
Here are some of the most recognized recycled paper products:
Newspaper
Shredded paper
Phonebooks
Cardboard
Magazines
Computer paper
Envelopes
Junk mail
Construction paper
When you recycle cardboard and other paper products you can create millions of new products such as:
- Egg cartons
- Paper towels
- Tissue
- Toilet paper
- Newspaper
- Phonebooks
- Paper bags
- Notebooks
- Stamps
- Business cars
- Calendars
There are so many other products that you can make with recycled paper. And the best thing about paper recycling is that it used less chemicals and bleaches, which is safer for the environment.