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Recycled Paper Goods Trees, the source of most paper products, are a renewable resource but take many years to replace. Give them a break by buying recycled paper. It gives trees a chance to grow back; the more that is recycled, the more they grow. Look for paper with the highest possible post-consumer content. Post-consumer material has completed its life as a consumer item and has been discarded for disposal or, according to Green Home, recovered and reused.
Better yet, consider your paper use. Sometimes paper towels are needed, but other times what's wrong with a dish rag? Just ring it out and hang it up. When you need to wipe up something you really want to immediately throw away though, nothing beats a good paper towel. Non-recycled paper products made from trees certified as sustainably harvested are a good compromise. This means that the forest has been well-managed, at least according to the criteria of established wood certifiers (some of which are more rigorous than others).
Green Home recommends recycled paper that is processed without chlorine. Normal bleaching methods using chlorine compounds can create a variety of toxic or carcinogenic byproducts, such as dioxin and formaldehyde. These by-products turn up later in lakes and rivers, and make their way into you and me. So next time, think twice before you wipe that spill up with something other than a nice damp dish rag, or at least think about what kind of paper towel you're using.
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