Reuse THEN recycle

I go through a ton of printer paper. As a writer, I need to proofread everything I write, and for me that means printng out a hard copy. Some writers can proof from the computer screen. I don't feel comfortable doing that. Sometimes I need to print an article out two or three times as I go through the editing process. These edited papers always end up in the recycle bin.

I have found a treasure trove of free paper - right in my kid's backpacks. Every day they come home with announcements from school - always printed on only one side of the paper. They also come home with graded worksheets (again - only one side of the paper is printed on). I used to put all this paper in the recycle bin - anywhere from 5-15 sheet of paper every night. It occurred to me at the beginning of this school year, that I can print on the back of those papers.

I know - not a particulary earth shattering realization. I should have realized that a few years ago. But sometimes I'm slow. So now, I put all of those papers in a bin on top of my file cabinet. When I need to print out something to proof, I let the local grammar school supply the paper. When I'm done with the proofed copy, then I recycle it. I reuse THEN recycle.

Not an original concept, I know. But one we all need to take into consideration more often. What else can we reuse before we recycle it?