Tulsa, OK

This fall and all year long, be a “woodwise” consumer. There are several ways you can reduce your use of paper, and thus reduce the number of trees cut down each year to provide it. Remember, trees pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and put oxygen back in! Our forests, particularly the rain forests of Central and South America, are crucial to life on Planet Earth.

Here are several key ways to Save trees:

• Buy recycled paper. When you shop for paper products such as greeting cards, computer paper, or sticky notes, make sure you buy tree-free or 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.
• Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification when you or your contractors buy lumber. The FSC certifies that lumber bearing its symbol originated in a responsibly managed forest.
• Check whether the magazines you read are printed on recycled paper. If not, contact the publisher and tell them you’d like them to switch to post-consumer recycled paper.
• Read magazines online or share a subscription with a friend. You’ll save money as well as paper.
• Remove yourself from junk mail lists, cancel unnecessary catalogs, and ask businesses and other organizations not to share your name.
• Save paper in your financial transactions. Utilize direct deposit, automatic bill paying, online banking, and online portfolio management to save paper in your financial transactions.
• Carry cloth bags with you to the store to avoid wasting paper (or plastic).
• Reuse old envelopes by placing new labels over old addresses.
• Set your computer printer to print on both sides of the page.

(This week’s tip is taken from the Coop America green pages.)