In 2001, each American person used about 574 pounds of paper per year, 45% of which was recycled [EPA].

Recycling paper saves large amounts of energy and water. Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees. For example, one Sunday edition of the New York Times consumes about 75,000 trees. As with plastics, paper can be incinerated, but recycling saves more energy than can be recovered in a waste-to-energy plant.

At Tufts, mixed paper is collected by Conigliaro Industries, and taken to their recycling plant in Framingham. There, the paper is baled and shipped off to processing plants, where the paper is used to make recycled cardboard.