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Each week we propose a bold green move; will you take the challenge this week?
There's more than one benefit to going paperless for a week: you'll spare some major waste from the landfill, you'll learn how you might be able to conserve paper better in the future, and nosy fifties style crime noir detectives won't be able to pick up your trail.
Which is why we're urging you to take this week's challenge—go without using any paper product at all for seven straight days.
You might be surprised to find just how much we all rely on paper products—and their disposable, one-time uses—in our daily routines. But once you cut them out of the picture, you'll likely begin to discover the extent of the paper waste problem.
So pick an upcoming week, any week at all, and plan on staging your assault on the un-eco world of waste. It shan't be long before you realize what you'll be giving up—newspapers, to-go beverage cups, disposable napkins, paper towels, notepad paper, Post-It notes, paper takeout bags, magazines, tissue paper, and of course, printer paper. To name a few.
But trust me, the educational experience will be well worth it. Here are a couple pointers to help you get around the newly acquired paper voids in your life:
- Read your daily paper's online component, and support the future of sustainable news while you're at it.
- Bring your own mug or thermos to the coffee shop.
- Take a reusable tote to the grocery store or deli.
- Use a handkerchief instead of disposable Kleenex.
- Organize your schedule on-line with apps like To-Do, instead of using Post-Its.
With a few items, you'll have to be logical, of course you can go ahead and open letters you get in the mail, as you can't help but receive them. But think about trying to cancel junk mail, phone books, and paper bills.
Going without paper is a tall order, we know—but that's what the Make a Bold Green Move Series is all about. Drop a comment below if you give it a go, and let us know how it went.
More from the Make a Bold Green Move Series:
Make a Bold Green Move : Pick Up Neighborhood Trash
Bold Green Move : Organic a Week with These 5 Tips
Make a Bold Green Move : Recycle Everything
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