According to a Worldwatch Institute report, there has been a six-fold increase in paper consumption since 1950. Due to the popularity of personal computers, high-speed printers, copiers, and fax machines, the fastest growing segment is copy paper. The average U.S. employee now uses more than 12,000 sheets per year, and that number is growing rapidly. Buying recycled paper, along with other strategies, helps to mitigate the impact of soaring paper use. By collecting used paper, manufacturing it into recycled paper, and selling it, paper is kept out of landfills and incinerators.
Recycled paper is produced in an energy efficient manner.
Buying recycled paper saves trees, which absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and provide habitats for wildlife. Despite the growth of electronic communication in business, or perhaps because of it, the use of copy paper is surging. By 1997, that amount soared to 4.6 million tons. According to a Worldwatch Institute report, the average American office worker now uses about 12,000 sheets of paper per year. The cost of paper use is often overlooked.