Projects – The Natural Journal

Projects

The Natural Journal investigates eco-friendly solutions through a research-driven approach and engages in creative projects to further pursue our mission of publishing works inspired by nature.

A Proposal to Replace the (Default) Single Sided Printing Option on Technological Devices with the Double Sided Printing Option and/or Establish a Fine on Using the Single Sided Printing Options on these Devices

As of 2020, Record Nations reports that the world produces 300 million tons of paper every year, and copier paper, computer printouts, and notepads “comprise the largest category of paper product consumption and landfill waste.” It has come to our attention that using the single sided printing option contributes to the devastating impacts of climate change: trees are being cut down in alarming amounts in order to provide for material being printed, and individuals deplete one sheet of paper every time they print two with the single sided option. While one sheet of paper, depleted by one person printing two with the single sided option, sounds like a shy amount, this magnifies with the millions of people that have access to devices and printing options. We must do our part to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change, the defining crisis of our time. Call, or send an email, utilizing this email template if you like, to a technology company.

A Proposal to Curb College Direct Mail

It has come to our attention that colleges’ outreach methods can contribute to the devastating impacts of climate change: trees are being cut down in alarming amounts to produce college direct mail (mail that arrives at your doorstep). According to King’s College, high school students are estimated to receive 60 pounds of mail from colleges throughout the high school experience. This equates to about 1000 sheets of paper, and in 2020, there were 15.3 million high school students in the United States. This means that in the 2019-2020 school year, colleges sent at least 15.3 billion sheets of paper worth of mail. For trees, this is detrimental. One tree can produce about 15,000 sheets of paper, meaning at least 1.02 million trees were cut down in 2019-2020 to make college direct mail. One million trees alone can reduce air pollution by up to 10,000 tons, according to the USDA and U.S. Forest Service. Cutting them down contributes to the 200,000 people in the U.S. who die from air pollution every year. Call, or send an email, utilizing this email template if you like, to a college or university.