Recycling Paper

They used to say that it couldn’t be done. However, 56 percent of the paper consumed in the U.S. during 2007 was recovered for recycling — this was an all-time high. That’s nearly 360 pounds of paper for each man, woman, and child in America. (EPA, 2008) That’s 63 million tons of recycled paper.

Keep in mind that recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough energy to power the average American home for five months.

So people said it couldn’t be done, just like they’re saying that we couldn’t drive lighter cars or use less electricity. The problem isn’t a technical one, it’s a problem of changing our own behavior and beliefs.