How much waste is created from paper?

In the United States, paper accounts for more than 40% of municipal solid waste. That’s about 71.8 million tons per year!

That’s not surprising, considering that Americans consume an average of 700 pounds of paper products per person per year. If you think you’re not consuming that much, you might want to think again.

Paper is used everywhere. You will find that paper is still the go-to medium for office documents, books, advertising catalogs, magazines, and so much more. The good news is that the digital age presents opportunities to reduce paper usage. In fact, The Climate Group estimates that digital applications could replace up to 25% of paper consumption.

How much paper do offices use?

When it comes to paper waste, the office is usually the top of mind – and rightfully so. Estimates show that up to 70% of the total waste in offices is from paper products.

Paper documents are still surprisingly common, despite the availability of digital alternatives. For example, on average, a typical paper document will be photocopied 19 times in its lifespan. Imagine the paper that could have been saved by instead scanning the document and securing a softcopy.

What are other alternatives to using paper?

Going digital is the best alternative to using paper. Not only are you saving trees, but you’re also increasing your workflow efficiencies.

Take work orders as an example. A work order is a document that gives details on a required activity. This document, if put on paper, will need to be forwarded multiple times throughout the whole process. Copies will be made, updated, re-worked and potentially re-printed.

On the contrary, imagine if the same work order was generated within a work order software – a digital solution. All work orders are viewable digitally and can be updated, as well. No need for pens and paper! Some providers even have a mobile app – which means you can do all the work virtually anywhere, anytime.