Author: Sangeetha Murali

There is no doubt we are living in a country filled with garbage. Currently, India produces about 100,000 tons of municipal solid waste every day, which sums up to about 36.5 million tons annually. Civic authorities are spending about INR500 to INR1500 per ton for handling solid waste.

The management of waste primarily involves collection, transferring to the treatment site, treatment and then, disposal. The major expenditure of about 65% occurs in the collection of waste. The current piece focuses on the reuse of paper and plastic waste to reduce the amount of waste produced.

Why should we re-use paper?

Nearly 93% of the paper we use is derived from trees. To produce one kilogram of paper, 324 liters of water is used, while one sheet of A4 paper takes up 10 liters of water. To meet the amplifying demand for paper, trees are being cut rapidly and we are faced with serious repercussions of deforestation. While it was estimated that the ongoing electronic revolution will reduce the demand for paper, the lack of equal distribution and opportunity to access electronic benefits has meant that the demand for paper continues to rise in developing countries and it is predicted to double by 2030.

Ideas to Reuse Waste Paper

Here are some simple yet wonderful ideas to reuse waste paper lying at home: