Paper

Reduce | Reuse | Recycle | Facilities

How do I go green?

Reduce

The best way to reduce your paper use is by refusing it. Post a ‘no junk mail’ sign in your mailbox; switch to receiving your bills online; use cloth napkins, handkerchiefs and rags, not their paper versions; use reusable lunch bags and recycled paper for printing. Printing draft? Use the back side of a sheet already printed. Read your paper online; share the program when at a theatre show; instead of post-its, use a chalkboard or white board for leaving notes; consider alternatives to tree based paper, such as hemp, cotton or rice.

Reuse

Many libraries cut up printed paper for reuse as note paper beside computers—you can do the same at home. Save wrapping paper for a second or third use. Shredded paper makes an excellent garden mulch.

Recycle

Just drop it in the CRD Blue Bag! As long as paper and non-corrugated cardboard isn’t wax or plastic lined, it can go in your curbside recycling. Have a lot? Check out the paper recycling drop off locations listed below.
The best way to deal with shredded paper in the curbside recycling program is to put it in paper bags, staple the top closed and place the paper bags in your CRD Blue Bag.  When you go to the grocery store, if you are not using cloth bags, ask for your groceries in paper bags to get a supply for shredded paper.  You may also use paper cereal boxes or other paper packaging.  Please do not put shredded paper out in plastic bags.