Eco-friendly Writing

Eco-friendly writing has been covered by most of the writing magazines I subscribe to with the basic ideas of recycling such as using both sides of paper, using recycled paper, notebooks, etc., and e-mail for your business, as much as possible.

I love the planet earth. For over forty years I’ve recycled and put back. I’ve recycled aluminum cans since the ‘60s, and tried to pass that habit on to my boys. In fact, it was a daily chore to mash cans we used or found. We hunted discarded cans on our walks and my oldest son was able to put away $500.00 before he was two with the money we got from recycling cans. I also compost grass clippings, leaves and coffee grounds, turning what was heavy clay to rich, friable soil.

So, recycling paper and running a green office is second nature. All rough drafts are printed on the backside a previous draft, a slash of highlighter indicator to which is the old draft, I buy recycled paper, I use the backside of mailings for scratch paper and recycle my ink cartridges, as the articles suggest.

But I take things a step further: I’ve begged from or had given to me reams of used paper; a neighbor gave me a case of paper that had the heading printed on the top incorrectly. I refill ink cartridges, where possible, I use pens that use refills.
Then I turn up the recycling and have some fun. I love the swap meet or some call it the flea market. Every Sunday, my husband and I and often, one or more of my sons frequent the local flea market. It’s been going every Sunday since the ‘60s and every year it gets just a little bigger. With all the reality shows on now about the treasures you can find, more people hope it is their lottery. Me, I’m on the look-out for the useful.

What have I found? Staplers, one week, staples to fit them, the next, a sewing machine drawer, perfect for post-it notes, a wooden nail box, just the right size for scratch paper, an old wire desk file, an old wooden desk file, a perpetual desk calendar, a stack of 10 legal pads for 10¢, 10 composition notebooks for $1.00, old paper clips (very unusual looking, an old rolling library table used for a dictionary, a school bell (hey, I’ve used it) standing paper files (I think they’d make great weapons, toast holders (also great for currently in use files, old McCoy plant pots (great for holding paper clips and flash drives), a chamber pot (no, not for use, although I do wish I had a bathroom in my office. I could live there, if only, because I have an old office fridge for water and snacks. The pot is used for my lipstick plant).

I’ve found three ring binders, files, paper, bookends, frames (I never, ever buy new ones. There are just too many great ones for less than a quarter, mostly old and ornate but I don’t care what kind of metal, I just paint them to match.) I have old cowboy hats, spurs, a bridle, and boots, all for atmosphere. I’ve found a paper punch, a paint brush to clean my keyboard, lead for my mechanical pen, old striped wooden clip boards, ink stands (not particularly useful, but I collect them and old ink bottles.) I’ve found old ledgers for keeping track of submissions, old journals for daily writing exercises, an old staple remover, a map flashlight, a tambourine (don’t ask). I have an old music chair for extra seating with the advantage of storage in the seat. And best of all: research books, dirt cheap.

It’s not what you find, but how you use it.