Using paper eco-consciously in your school

5 ways to be eco-friendly while still using the paper products

People wrongly tend to think that by using paper, a school is not doing its part in the environmental revolution. In reality however, there are a number of ways in which you can rely on paper and still makes strides in your green efforts.

Print appropriately: Paper is still omnipresent in all schools and can be found in all busy and productive learning environments. But printing documents isn’t always totally necessary, and schools can save paper by reminding each other of two things. The first is to check pages are truly worth the paper and the second is to “Proofread your work carefully before checking it”, as suggested by Ben Harach at Vision Earth. “Use the 'print preview' mode in your word processor / presentation software / spreadsheet software in order to make sure what you are printing is exactly what you want."
Recycle heavily: Clichéd it may sound, but recycling really is the easiest and most effective method to make a positive impact on the environment. It's as simple as organising a recycling program and implementing a few simple policies to get it underway. Most people only print on one side of paper, so rescue sheets from the bin and use the blank side for making notes! Get staff and students on board to come up with new and innovative ideas on how your school can help the recycling effort.
Track supply chains: Always ensure you purchase your paper from a reputable supplier who has ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and FSC certifications like Westcountry Group. That way you can be sure you are being supplied with paper that has been responsibly forested, produced and delivered in a way that respects the environment and ensures sustainability for the future.
Leverage technology: While pen and paper is surely the best way to take notes, sign documents and perform creative tasks, there is a time and a place for electronic processes. By sorting out which business operations require paper and which can be performed on a computer, decision-makers can more effectively utilize their paper resources while keeping costs down for IT.
Archive upkeep: There's no reason to store more than a few hard copies of a given document in the company archives, yet many organisations find their folders overflowing with redundant documentation. Schools must go into their archives and do a bit of spring cleaning to minimize duplicates and maximize the efficiency of their backups.