Paper magic
Friday 8 July 2005
Think about all the notebooks and scrap paper you go through at school in a year. Whether you're using it to take notes in a lesson or passing messages round the class, you probably get through more paper than you realise.
In fact, schools use around 12.5 kgs of paper per student every year. You wouldn't want to carry that weight around in your schoolbag, would you? If you multiply that amount by the number of years you spend at school, you're going through more than a few trees to put pen to paper
A kind of magic
The Paper Trail project has launched a new scheme called Paper Magic, which encourages schools to save their A4 waste paper for collection and recycling. All the paper that is collected in the scheme is then made into special 'Paper Magic' paper and stationery.
There's a points scheme in operation, which means the more paper a school can collect, the more points they get, which can be used to claim free paper and other rewards.
It's a WRAP
The scheme is supported by WRAP, the Waste & Resources Action programme, who launched their hugely successful Recycle Now campaign last year. The campaign has star supporters like Eddie Izzard and Matthew Pinsent, and tries to get more of us involved in recycling by showing how simple it is, and also how it can help the environment.
The Recycle Now web site can tell you where your nearest recycling facilities are, tells you where you can buy recycled stuff, and has lots more information on how you can do your bit. There's even a chance to get on their web site if you email in your story of how you recycle.
Over to you
To find out more about how you can get involved in the Paper Magic scheme, check out their web site. Try and have a think about how much you recycle, both at home and at school. Are you doing enough? Even a tiny bit can make a difference. Check out our recycling section and our useful links for more on how you can keep the cycle going.
