You make an impact on the world with your writing, so why not take it a step further by making a positive impact on your environment, too?

Check out these 21 ways to go green with your article writing efforts!

Save Paper

How much paper are you tossing every week? According to the EPA, paper makes up 27 percent of our trash and much of it can still be recycled.*

In addition to recycling paper products, here are 6 tips you can use to save some of that paper from making it to the trash.

Print less by going digital with an eReader (iPad, Kindle, Nook, etc.) for books and other reference materials.
Cancel the delivery of hard-copy periodicals and switch to online-only subscriptions.
Stop junk mail from reaching your door.**
Print less paper by using the “print on both sides” feature of your printer.
Use post-consumer recycled content (PCR) paper (recycled paper).
Get more out of your smartphone or tablet by downloading task reminder apps for notes, lists, and brainstorms.

Conserve Energy

If you practice a little energy conservation, you’ll also practice a lot of wallet conservation. Here are 10 tips to save power and your green:

Turn down the brightness of your screen to a reasonable setting (so you’re not straining your eyes to read the content, but it’s not blazing at full power).
Shut down programs that don’t need to be running in the background, including Bluetooth.
Unplug devices (like tablets and phones) once they’re charged.
Eject any discs that are not being used if you have a CD or DVD drive.
Turn devices on the sleep or standby mode if you’re not actively going to be using it in the next 20 minutes.
Use a power strip and use it to turn off all devices before you leave work for the day or before you go to bed.
Use a desk lamp that utilizes a compact fluorescent bulb and switch off that overhead light.
Turn the thermostat down (60-65 degrees Fahrenheit should still be comfortable) during the winter. Throw on a warmer sweater or a scarf and allow the brisk air to help you stay alert!
Turn the thermostat up a few degrees during the summer and allow your body to acclimate. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
Microwave the water for your tea rather than using the stove to consume less energy.***

Produce Less Waste

Sometimes the best waste prevention is to not have something to waste in the first place! For every item you consider buying or ordering – even if it’s free – consider whether it’s recyclable, how much energy it consumes producing it, and whether you’ll dispose of it responsibly. Here are 5 questions and tips to consider:

Do you have to use the gas? Create a stellar writing space to write at home and make your own coffee/beverage to save the gas from the commute rather than going to coffee shops to write. If you need to get out, don’t drive – walk or bike!
Do you need to waste that cup? At the coffee shop and getting coffee to go? Say “no” to disposable to-go cups and bring your own (clean) travel mug.
Do you really need to use a plastic water bottle? Stay hydrated during your writing session to maintain focus with a reusable water bottle or even go old school with an actual glass!
Do you really want to throw that out? Donate or dispose of electronics properly by recycling them (check with your local recycling facilities how to do this properly).
Do you really need a pen? Choose the classic wooden pencil over plastic pens. Pencils last longer than pens and conserve much more nonrenewable resources to produce.

A physician”s assistant (PA) and an intensive care nurse at a major hospital reviewed the damaged lung tissue of several cigarette smokers and said the x-rays looked identical to those of patients exposed to asbestos, and that diagnostic imaging revealed what looked like “ground glass” which settled in the soft tissue near the bottom of the lungs (GGO – ground glass opacity). The interviewed nurse said, “When lung tissue is damaged over and over, it develops lesions, and the cancer plants itself in there like seeds.”

According to the PA, the tiny shards penetrate the “lipid bilayer, then embed in the lung tissue, causing the tissue to harden and eventually lose its ability to absorb oxygen.” This damage fuels the development of the same type of lung cancer (mesothelioma) associated with asbestos poisoning. He also explained how smoking destroys the cilia (tiny hairs) that help push excretions/mucus out, and how when smokers sleep, their breathing patterns relax and the “tar deposits creep in on damaged air sacs called blebs, eventually rupturing and collapsing them.” This is why when smokers awake in the morning they can experience unproductive coughing fits and/or bronchial spasms.

The cigarette filter (butt) acts as a buffer from the extreme heat of the cigarette”s burning chemicals, which can exceed 1700 degrees Fahrenheit during inhale. Fibrous glass has the heat-resistant qualities of asbestos, which makes it an efficient material for insulation; however, if you”ve ever been in an attic and got insulation on your skin, you already know how irritating the glass fibers can be, so now imagine what it”s doing to the inside of a smoker”s lungs.

Up to 12,000 microscopic glass fibers are tightly bound together, which explains why filters take between 10 to 15 years to disintegrate. If the filter were simply cotton rolled tightly in paper, a few rainstorms would break it up and wash it away within weeks. Filters are also constructed to catch the tar and the tobacco particles from coming through, but not entirely.

Although fiberglass is not the same as asbestos, it can be just as damaging to the human body. The long, very narrow fibers penetrate deep into lung tissue and remain there. One study conducted with rats showed that fibrous glass is a potent carcinogen, leading to changes in the DNA genetic structure and breaking down the immune system. This is one reason smoker”s fight colds, the flu, sinus and bronchial infections for much longer periods of time than non-smokers.