Mood:  cheeky

Many of your larger purchases will come in a cardboard box that you can’t wait to get rid of. While you may not have a need for the plastic packaging the box can definitely come in handy for:

• Wrapping gifts
• Shipping packages
• Moving

The beauty of cardboard is that it can be collapsed into a flat sheet for easy storage under a bed, mattress or in the back of a closet. All you need to create a “new” box is some tape.

Paper recycling is only beneficial if a market is generated for recycled content. Guess what: you generate that market by buying recycled content paper. In the case of newspaper, you’re buying recycled without even knowing it. For computer paper, the higher the recycled content, the better for the environment (100 percent recycled is available at most office supply stores). Ask about recycled content paper at you’re local copy store as well.

With more cities placing restrictions on the use of plastic bags, paper bags may be your packaging of choice. Well, these bags have many reuse options to keep them out of the trash, including covering your hardcover books. This also protects your books from damage and food stains. Plus, once you’re done with the cover you can still recycle the bag with the rest of your paper