It may be a digital age, but Americans are still putting it all on paper. Despite the advances in computer technology that were supposed to lead to a paperless society, we continue to go through large amounts of the pulpy stuff every year. According to the World Resources Institute, each person in the U.S. consumes about 675 pounds of paper annually. Add it all together and you get a figure of roughly 99 million yearly tons of paper being used for everything from magazines and newspapers to junk mail and printer paper.

All this paper comes with a big environmental price tag. Depending on the type, making a single ton of paper requires the sacrifice of anywhere from eight to 24 trees. With every ton taking an average of 16 trees to produce, that’s a potential total of approximately 1.5 billion trees lost to paper mills each year. The good news is that according to the Paper Industry Association Council, we’re recycling more of this precious resource every year. Indeed, in 2007, paper and paperboard recovery set a new record of 54.3 million tons or 360 lbs. per person. And this tonnage is saving more than forests because every ton of paper we recycle conserves about 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.

While recycling the paper we use and buying paper made from post-consumer recycled content are key parts of the paper equation, it’s also important that we do everything we can to use less and cut our so-called "paper footprint." Here’s our guide to making a difference -- on more than just paper:

• Think before you print! Save as many of your documents as you can on your computer, including emails and household records. Only print those documents you absolutely must have on paper.

• Print only the pages that contain information you need. Use your printer’s preview or menu sections to select “current page only” and other economy settings.

• Before you print, condense your text so you use as few pages as possible.

• Find and use your software’s print formatting tools to squeeze two pages onto one. Many programs will allow you to fit two pages on a single side of an 8 ½ x 11 sheet turned on its side. (This is typically called landscape mode)

• Be sure to use both sides of the sheets you print.

• Reuse sheets that are mis-printed, or cut them into scrap.

• From magazines and newspapers to your bank and cable provider, ask the companies you do business with whether they use recycled paper. If they’re not, keep the pressure on!

• Use your local library wherever possible. It’s a great money- and tree-saving resource for books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials.

• Check our tips for taking control of your junk mail and clear your mailbox of paper-wasting clutter.

• Make sure any paper you buy has a high amount of post-consumer content. Recycled paper saves trees and supports recycling efforts.

photo: greefus groinks