How much paper does the average office use?

The average US office worker uses about 10,000 sheets (20 reams) of paper per year. About 45% of office paper ends up in the trash by end of day.

Is recycled paper better for the environment?

Yes. Recycled paper uses 60-70% less energy, 55% less water, and produces 73% less air pollution than virgin paper. It also reduces landfill waste.

Print double-sided, use digital documents, switch to electronic billing, use digital note-taking, and implement paperless workflows.

Calculate the environmental savings from reducing paper consumption including trees saved, water saved, and CO2 reduced.

Annual Paper Reams Used

reams

Reduction Target

Cost per Ream

USD

Trees Saved

0.5 trees

Water Saved150 gallons

CO2 Saved0.075 metric tons

Cost Saved80 USD

Trees Saved vs Annual Paper Reams Used

Reducing paper consumption saves trees, water, and energy.

Trees: ~1 tree per 100 lbs of paper

Water: ~3 gallons per pound

CO2: ~3.3 lbs CO2 per pound of virgin paper

Paper Saved (lbs) = Reams * Reduction % * 5 lbs/ream

A standard ream is 500 sheets (5 lbs). The average US office worker uses 10,000 sheets per year.

An office using 20 reams/year reducing by 50% at $8/ream.