Admittedly, the use of printer paper is curious. While all copiers are capable of double-sided printing, and while IT resources have made many of printed materials redundant or unnecessary, the consumption of copy paper continues to increase. The total amount of paper consumed during last year was 43,540 reams – nearly three reams per person. The cumulative weight of all that paper, if stacked in one place, would be 109 tons.  

 

 

If there is a bright spot in the paper data, it is that the use of recycled paper has increased since 2011-12. Recycled paper reduces some of the environmental impacts caused by such heavy paper consumption, although reduction will continue to be the sustainable preference.