Adopt Best Practices for Office Paper Management; Participate in the WasteWise Program

Law offices use large quantities of paper, and paper use leaves a large ecological footprint. The life-cycle of one ton of office paper, from production to disposal in a landfill, results in the release of about 11 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)-equivalent gases, which contribute to global climate change; as well as other air and water pollutants.

Law offices can reduce paper consumption and waste by adopting best practices for recycling, purchase of paper with recycled content, and double-sided copying and printing. Participation in WasteWise, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that encourages organizations to reduce municipal solid waste, can facilitate office paper management and quantification of the benefits.

As part of the Law Office Eco-Challenge, the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) and the ABA Law Practice Management Section (LPM) will recognize as a Law Office Eco-Challenge "Partner" an office that implements at least two of the following three best practices for office paper management:

Although the ABA will recognize law offices as meeting the Eco-Challenge simply by adopting best practices for office paper management, SEER and LPM also encourage law offices to participate in EPA's WasteWise program. To participate, the law office registers with WasteWise and submits a plan for office paper management that focuses on some or all of the best practices described above. The law office that does so will receive recognition from WasteWise as a "Partner" and from the ABA as a "Law Office Eco-Challenge Partner." The law office may then implement its plan and file an annual report with WasteWise that describes its progress and that quantifies - through reasonable approximations - its reductions in paper usage or paper waste. In addition, the law office can translate those reductions into quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through simple calculation tools available through WasteWise. After the law office reports that information, SEER or LPM will include the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions avoided on the Law Office Eco-Challenge Website. In addition, if the law office has implemented at least two of the above-described three best practices for office paper management - including, for the double-sided copying practice, achieving the goal of double-sided copying for at least 50% of the pages in internal and draft documents - the ABA will recognize the law office as a "Law Office Eco-Challenge Leader."

1. What is the Problem of Office Paper Waste and How is It Linked to Energy Consumption and Climate Change?
Law offices tend to be paper-intensive. They typically use large quantities of mixed office paper, which includes all types of white paper (copier, printer, letterhead, bond, and note paper), colored paper, file folders, and envelopes (including manila envelopes). (more)

2. What are Best Practices for Paper Management by Law Offices?
Law offices can mitigate these adverse effects by following best practices for office paper usage and waste management. The impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts attendant to office paper usage and disposal, and the savings that result from best practices, are described below.

1. Purchase Office Paper with Recycled Content
2. Recycle Mixed Office Paper
3. Use Double-sided Copying and Printing (more)

3. What About Other Types of Office Waste Products?
Although for reasons of simplicity and practicality, the focus of the Law Office Eco-Challenge is on office paper management, law offices can implement practical and effective best practices to reduce other types of waste, as well. The following are a few examples that cover a range of equipment and materials: (more)

4. How Can a Law Office Adopt Best Practices for Paper Management and Participate in the Law Office Eco-Challenge?
This component of the Law Office Eco-Challenge includes a simple and practical method for law offices willing to implement best practices in office paper management to participate in, and receive recognition under, the Eco-Challenge program, without having to quantify the amount of environmental benefit or to join the associated EPA program. (more)

5. How Can a Law Office Participate in Waste Wise and the Law Office Eco-Challenge?
SEER and LPM encourage law offices to consider joining the EPA WasteWise program and quantifying both the amount of office paper waste avoided and the amount of attendant greenhouse gas emissions avoided. (more)

6. How are the Environmental Benefits Calculated?
The WasteWise program provides detailed information about the impacts on energy usage and climate change from waste management, including office paper waste management. See "WasteWise Climate Campaign." (more)

Questions about the ABA-EPA Law Office Eco-Challenge? Listen to the informative Podcast of a teleconference held on March 28, 2007. Listen Now.

Questions? Please contact Daniel A. Eisenberg, Deisenberg@bdlaw.com, (202) 789-6046