When we really start looking at the amount of paper we use in our everyday life it is easy to see that recycling it is a good idea. We are sometimes surprised to find out just how big an impact recycling paper can have on the earth’s resources.

You may have seen the statistics that recycling one ton of paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, and it can save more than 3 cubic yards of space in the landfill. What may make these numbers easier to relate to is the fact that those 17 trees can save enough energy to power an average home for 6 months. That’s a lot of juice.

It also reduces your home waste removal costs. So much of what we have picked up each week is made up of paper. Imagine how much less you’ll be setting at the curb once you start recycling paper. If you are paying per bag for your waste removal, you will see considerable savings.

Green house gasses are reduced as well. All of that paper in the landfill produces methane as it breaks down. Recycling that paper uses less resources and also reduces the manufacturing of new paper which uses more trees.

A tremendous amount of water is used in the paper making process. Even though trees are fed by rain water, which is not a drain on the earth’s resources, turning it into paper is another story. Water is needed for washing, bleaching, heating, steaming, and rinsing the paper pulp all through the process. Recycling paper helps to offset some of these costs.