Whether you’re reading a magazine, making a handwritten grocery list or buying bath products in paper packaging, you’re benefiting your family and our forests.

Which means you may be a papertarian, even if you’re only learning the word now, or you may be interested in becoming one.

Why? Because papertarians know that as consumers, we’re bombarded with less sustainable options—but choosing paper and products packaged in paper actually benefits U.S. forests and is the smart choice for planet Earth.

Paper products, which come from a renewable resource and can be recycled up to seven times, show up in more places than you think. 

While you probably already know that you can get milk in paper cartons and take it home in a paper bag, did you realize you can also buy lipstick and deodorant in paper tubes?

So, before steering to the checkout, whether in the real world (as you throw a magazine into your cart) or virtually (where you begin the countdown to getting that cardboard box at your door), take stock: Many of the items you’re buying might be available in paper packaging, from laundry detergent to eggs, ice cream and flour.

Why not choose them? Together, small, everyday decisions like these create big benefits for the environment. If you’re getting curious, here are a few more opportunities to go papertarian—or up your papertarian game:

Buying Papertarian

Wander through a papertarian's home, and you might find the following items in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets or on outdoor picnic tables - all neatly packaged in paper containers. They've swapped the old packaging that was made from a non-renewable resource with paper-based packaging.

Groceries

• Cereal
• Orange juice
• Coffee
• Sugar

Skin Care and Beauty Items

• Blush
• Lipstick
• Bandages
• Dry shampoo
• Deodorant

Party Supplies

• Crackers
• Water
• Ice cream
• Fruit
• Soft drinks
• Wine
• Takeout food (including pizza)

Once you start shopping like a papertarian, you'll see how easy it can be to work, live and recycle like one. Check out these ideas:

Working Papertarian

• Print emails
• Use paper for calendars and to-do lists
• Send paper thank-you notes to clients
• Use paper business cards

Living Papertarian

• Use paper food containers for leftovers
• Keep paper copies of important documents, such as birth certificates
• Buy (or make!) paper-based decor

Recycling Papertarian

• Print out local recycling guidelines and keep them near your bins
• Learn the best ways to recycle paper
• Get the whole family involved in recycling

Easier than you thought, right? Now, find our more about the papertarian movement, take our papertarian pledge or download our papertarian checklist.

Do you have what it takes to be a papertarian? Definitely. Test your knowledge and see how much room there is for improvement.