This month’s zero-waste topic is something that most of us struggle with—cutting down on paper waste. But before we dive into the paper pile, we want to express our gratitude to you. We’re in month six of our year-long challenge to reduce waste, and you’re still here! That tells us you’ve been making the effort to live more sustainably, and we (and the planet) are very grateful. So let’s see what we can do about saving some trees, shall we?
If you’re following our Zero Waste guide by Shia Su, check out pages 145-150. Read on to learn more.
Incoming!
When it comes to creating paper waste, some of the worst offenders are businesses that send you junk mail that you don’t want, didn’t ask for, and won’t read. You can recycle a lot of it. But better yet, use some strategies to keep it from landing in your mailbox in the first place:
DMA Choice offers a mail suppression service for a nominal fee (currently $8.00 for a 10-year registration period). This helps reduce the volume of unsolicited mail that you receive.
Catalog Choice is a free service that lets you remove your name from individual catalog mailing lists once you’ve registered.
- I’ve tried both of the above services, and to be honest, it’s hard to tell if my junk mail has lessened. Sometimes, if I’m feeling cranky, I’ll grab a stack of catalogs and call them directly to get off their lists. (Have your customer code handy, usually found near your address, if you want to call.) But if you buy from them again, you just get right back on their lists. It’s maddening, isn’t it?
- Oh, I just had an idea that I want online retailers to adopt! I wish we could check a box that says “Don’t send me a paper catalog” when we order something online.
Opt Out Prescreen lets you opt out of credit card offers. Please note that they need your social security number to opt you out, and not everyone is comfortable with that.
- Call charities and tell them you’d prefer they email donation requests rather than spend money on mailings.
Persistence is key to getting less junk in the mail. Keep fighting the flood!
Shredding: Only if you really have to!
Well, this is a bummer: Portland and Washington County no longer accept shredded paper for recycling because the small pieces fall through sorting equipment and contaminate other materials. So be judicious in what you shred at home, focusing on papers that have sensitive personal or financial information. And there’s a better way to shred than by burning out your tired little shredder.
For Portland-area residents, the preferred options are:
- Compost it in your green compost bin (shredded paper is considered a carbon-rich “brown” material).
- Take it to a drop-off recycling facility that specifically accepts shredded paper.
- Use a community shred event if you’re shredding confidential documents and want to ensure proper recycling afterward.
Staples and Office Depot both offer shredding services that recycle the shredded paper through a third party. Rates are affordable, and you can often find coupons on their websites.
Magazines and newspapers
I admit I’m a magazine junkie and have been since I first got Mad Magazine in my misspent youth. As an adult, I miss the days of Martha Stewart Living appearing in my mailbox; there’s nothing like spending the afternoon reading a fresh-smelling new magazine. But these days I force myself to read most of my magazines online–it really is the most zero-waste way to enjoy them. Many are now only available online anyway.
And guess what! If you still want to hold a magazine or newspaper in your hot little hands, your local library probably has a good selection to read. The Lake Oswego Library has all the expected titles, plus magazines like Doll News, with a creepy doll on the cover who can see directly into my SOUL. I love the LO Library.
Anyway. If you still get magazines and newspapers, before you toss that stack in the recycling bin, see if someone else can enjoy it first:
• Donate magazines to a senior center or senior living community
• Leave recent magazines at your doctor’s office, dentist, or hair salon
• Use newspaper to wrap gifts or start campfires
• Pass magazines along to creative friends who enjoy collage or mixed-media art
• Ask local schools whether they can use magazines and newspapers for art projects
• Donate National Geographic magazines to SCRAP PDX
Paper controls us…until we control it
I thought that was a pretty deep insight, did you? The truth is, we can let ourselves be buried in bills, bank statements, printouts, lists, and so on, and so on. Or we can get it under control and not live under piles of paper. If paper is taking over your house, here are some tips to get a handle on it.
- Start cleaning out slowly, with one desk drawer, countertop pile, or filing cabinet per clean-out session. Do one session a week, or more if you have the bandwidth.
- Recycle as much paper as you possibly can.
- Mark your calendar each week to read an article or two that you’ve saved, then recycle it.
- You don’t need to keep multiple months’ worth of bills or bank statements, since it’s all available online. (I’ve been telling my husband this forever. Has it sunk in? No. He can’t hear me from behind the stacks of statements.)
- Think about whether you really do need to print out that online document. Can you save it as a PDF on your computer or bookmark it?
- Use a scanning app to scan important papers and store them on your computer instead of in your filing cabinet.
- If you do need to print something out, print on both sides of the paper, and you’ll use half as much (and that’s the extent of my math knowledge).
- If you’re a list maker, use the back side of junk mail letters or envelopes. Better yet, use an app like Anylist or Microsoft To-Do for lists, or use the notes program on your phone.
- Want the absolute most easy-peasy way to cut down on paper? Sign up for digital bills and bank statements.
- Some papers, like tax returns, business, and financial papers, do need to be kept. But which ones, and for how long? Check out the Big Rocks Document Retention Guide for keeping records.
- Wondering how long to keep medical records? Find out here.
- If you’re over 65, here’s some guidance from AARP on what records to keep.
The trees will thank you (maybe not out loud) for every step you take toward reducing your paper usage. So cut down on junk mail, reuse and recycle, and go digital.
Struggling with sentimental papers? We’ve got you covered here.
Want support to live with less stuff? We’re here for you.
The folks at Big Rocks Organizing would be honored to help you streamline your paper piles, even if they’ve been there for years (believe us, you wouldn’t be the first to have cancelled checks going back decades). In fact, we can assist with rightsizing and organizing any area of your home to help you live more sustainably. We can also empower you to go digital! Schedule a Free Exploratory Call to discuss your needs.
And again, much gratitude for doing your part to lighten the load on our planet!
About Andrea Thompson
Andrea was an advertising copywriter/creative director for 40 years before retiring, then unretiring to start a new career in organizing, then retiring again to travel the world with her husband, John. She fully admits her home is not 100% organized.