Paper Reuse

When reusing paper, avoid paper that is folded, torn, or dirty, and be sure to take off any staples, paper clips, or Post-Its®.   If half-used paper is particularly curled (from a laserprinter), you can remove most of this by putting a heavy weight (e.g. several phone books) on a stack of it for a few days or weeks.

Some people think that using half-used paper will damage the output device, but many people have reported successfully using half-used paper routinely.  Fax machines are a good candidate for half-used paper as they almost never have duplexing units and fax output is almost always strictly for internal use (not mailed).  If there are several laser-printers in an office, one can be designated as a 'draft' printer and always be stocked with half-used paper.  Some copiers and some printers can have a tray devoted to half-used paper.

Reusing paper is not recycling, as you are using the paper directly. Recycling requires breaking the paper down to the individual wood fibers and remaking sheets of paper. While recycling is a good thing to do, reuse is much better for the environment (and much cheaper).
 
 

Thinner Paper