What are the benefits of buying recycled content or environmentally preferable products?
Choosing environmentally preferable products and services can mitigate the environmental and health impacts with purchases of everyday products. Recycled content paper, for example, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent, cut solid waste disposal in half, decrease water use by 50 percent, and practically eliminate wood use. One ton of 30% postconsumer recycled content paper (40 cartons of 10 reams each) saves over 7 trees. Similarly, switching to safer, less toxic cleaning products reduces incidents of allergic reactions, asthma, burns, and eye damage.
