Creative Usage of Paper Waste in Your Apartment

Paper is one of the most versatile and common products of modern societies. Unfortunately, as paper use grows, paper waste continues to rise as well. Today a major part of municipal waste is made up of paper and paper products. Around one-third of all household waste is paper. As you know, to produce paper it is necessary to cut down trees. Recycling paper and creative use of paper waste saves environment and slows down the rate that landfill sites are filling. The decomposing paper releases 20 times more potent greenhouse gas (methane gas) than carbon dioxide. Another benefit of recycling waste paper is that keeping paper out of landfills reduces greenhouse gases and this will help to slow down global warming.

Reusing Paper

You can help the environment by reusing paper. Reuse minimizes the amount of trash you produce and conserves resources. As a society, we’ve become addicted to paper products. Production of recycled paper involves between 28 – 70% less energy consumption. Recycling 1 tonne of paper saves about 30000 liters of water, about 3000-4000 KWH electricity. The United States Environmental Protection Agency? (EPA) has found that recycling causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than making virgin paper.

There are three categories of paper that can be used as feedstock for making recycled paper.

• Mill broke is paper trimmings and other paper scrap from the manufacture of paper, and is recycled internally in a paper mill.
• Pre-consumer waste is material which left the paper mill, which has been discarded before it was ready for consumer use.
• Post-consumer waste is material discarded after consumer use, such as old magazines, old newspapers, office waste, old telephone directories, and residential mixed paper.

Creative Usage of Paper Waste

Using paper creatively in your apartment or community helps to save paper, water, electricity, reduce air pollution, save valuable wildlife habitats and ecosystems. Here are some of the top ways to reduce and re-use paper in your home or apartment.

• Make Books or Pads: You can use paper that has a blank side, or even half a blank side to make note books and telephone message pads. You may probably find that you and your family members have reduced paper waste or usage of notebook in a year. You can use papers, catalogs or even half a blank side of envelops or mails you received for making your telephone message pads or shopping list.

• Buy recycled paper: The future of recycling depends on there being a market for the materials collected. Paper mills cannot continue to produce recycled paper if people do not buy items made from it. If a lot of people ask or demand recycled paper and its product, it may encourage the shop to add to its recycled range. When paper and other suitable materials are recycled all these environmental impacts are reduced significantly.

• Drawing Books: Instead of buying expensive drawing books for your children, you can make home-made coloring books. You can also use scrap paper with a blank area for kids to draw. If you are creative, you can create home made drawing books for your children which save paper, your money without affecting your kid’s talent.

• Home paper recycling: Learn how to recycle your own paper at home by making new paper out of scraps. You and your family can recycle paper at home and doing so will cut down on the costs of having to buy more paper. Recycling paper saves forests, saves energy in production and transportation and, thereby, reduces global warming. Now a paper recycling plant is available that enables you to recycle paper and make your own stationery or paper gift items at home. Now technology offers simple and uncomplicated device that even a child can try his hand at it.

• Re-using Magazines: If you were thinking of sending some books or magazines to recycling, think about if they have really been re-used as much as possible first. You can also use images from magazines to decoupage items such as tables and boxes or crockery. Instead of throwing out papers, catalogs and magazines use them to make beads, paper cutting and decoupage. Sometimes libraries, local hairdressers, Clinics and hospitals will be interested in receiving old magazines.

Today, it is widely recognized that the volume of paper products we discard must be dramatically reduced soon. One and all have a role to play in encouraging the recycling of waste paper and the reduction of waste in general. As you know, to produce paper it is necessary to cut down trees. In some cases this has meant the loss of valuable wildlife habitats and ecosystems. Almost any household paper, including used newspapers, cardboard, packaging, stationery, direct mail, magazines, catalogues, greeting cards and wrapping paper, can be recycled. You can make special notes, cards, book covers, or use in scrap-booking projects. Creative usage of paper waste saves forests, energy and thereby saves environment.

Disclaimer: The article contains data collected from various sources and the use of same is at readers discretion.