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Southwest Airlines Community

Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – Paper Edition

mbrown
Explorer B

Did you know that each person in the United States uses approximately 750 pounds of paper each year?  That’s the weight of an average grizzly bear!  But don’t you worry–there are many ways that you can reduce your paper consumption! One step that Southwest Airlines recently took to help reduce paper use was to introduce mobile boarding passes at all airports.  This service allows Customers to keep all of their travel information in one place, while also safeguarding the environment through paperless travel! Here are some helpful tips to reduce your paper use:
  1. Print carefully: Make sure to print on both sides of the page to reduce the number of sheets, and only print what you really need.
  2. Use lighter paper: Light-weight paper requires less energy and fewer raw materials when it's manufactured.
  3. Use mail alternatives: Use email, voice mail, and fax transmissions whenever possible.
  4. Eliminate unnecessary subscriptions: Cancel newspapers, newsletters, and magazines you don't read or can access online.  Take your name off mailing lists to reduce junk mail.  41pounds.org can help you rid your life of all that waste by contacting 20 to 30 direct mail companies on your behalf to stop the majority of your bulk mail!
  5. Make recycling easy: Place recycling bins in high-traffic areas in your home or office.
  6. Try paper substitutes: Try using a “tree-free” paper alternative, such as paper made from post-consumer waste, hemp, kenaf, bamboo, agri-pulp, or cotton!
  7. Encourage others: Share the benefits of using paper alternatives and reducing your consumption with friends and colleagues so they can do their part to save trees!
What are some ways that you scale back your paper consumption?  Let us know by commenting!