Itty Bitty Bonzai is a collection of tiny tips and tricks for living a life more mindful. Small actions, collectively and compounded, become a powerful force of change.

#11 We can all agree on the profound importance of recycling, right? For example, if each US resident would recycle 1 newspaper / week, we could save 36 million trees. How’s that for profound??

I think it’s safe to assume you readers are avid recyclers. (right?!?)

But what about the flipside? Recycling won’t mean a thing if there’s no use for recycled paper. It’s up to consumers (us!) to speak with our dollars and create a demand for post-consumer products. This does double duty environmentalism, as it saves both resources and energy. For example, newspaper made from recycled newsprint only requires half the energy input!

When buying recycled writing and printer paper, try to find the highest post-consumer content. 30% is a good ratio to aim for. Make sure the product is made without chlorine, as this toxin is a major pollutant. Also seek out sustainable fibers such as bamboo.

BONZAI!