\n<\/p>\n
The shift to working from home has been one of the most significant changes brought about by the pandemic. As I reflect on my time working remotely, I\u2019m struck by how my work habits and work style have shifted to accommodate my new surroundings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most striking change for me has been my personal use of printer paper. It\u2019s not that I threw caution to the wind when I printed in the office, but I did tend to print documents that I needed to review\/check for accuracy; for me, it was just more efficient.\u00a0 Also, as fellow \u201cthose who printed in the office\u201d people can attest, in-office printing was speedy, plus there was the added benefit of knowing that secure recycling and shredding was within reach.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Over time, I\u2019ve learned to adjust my habits in many ways. First and foremost, I\u2019m happy to say, printing for me is a rarity now.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As I quietly gave myself a high-five, I became curious as to how I could quantify my social contribution to the conservation of trees.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fun fact: An average tree, designated as a \u201cpaper tree\u201d, can produce approximately 16 reams of paper. [1]<\/span> There are many calculations available, but most tend to cluster around this figure.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Based on my estimation, if individual usage equated to 1 ream of paper per month, 2.5 trees have been spared for just one person since the start of the pandemic (~40 months). Once I started doing the math across the board, the realization of what this means to the environment was staggering.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Quantifying the number of trees spared is one variable, but I became curious to uncover more about the paper making process itself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to the trees, inputs into producing paper include water, clay, chemicals, power and other natural resources.<\/span>[2]<\/span><\/p>\n