How Paper Shredding is Saving the Environment
It’s more than just a piece of paper you are shredding. It’s also something that help better the environment if disposed of correctly.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, when you throw paper away, it becomes approximately 33% of the municipal sold waste stream, making the largest component of that waste stream. Why continue to add to the growth when you can do something to help solve the problem?
Recycle! It’s really that easy. When it comes to paper shredding, we recycle 100% of the paper that is shred. Recycling paper not only conserves resources, but also prevents emissions of greenhouse gasses and pollutants, saves energy, stimulates growth of greener technologies, creates jobs, and reduces the need for additional landfills.
The paper industry has set a goal to recycle and recover 70% of the paper consumed by Americans each year by 2020. One ton of recycled paper save 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. That math adds up to saving an area that is approximately the same size as Washington D.C. Impressive at the least.
Do your part to help save the environment and shred. Use a service like ours and we will do the recycling for you. It’s as easy and simple as that.
The Brief History of Paper Shredding
Do you know the history of shredding? Well if not, here is a quick run down on how it all started.
The very first shredder was invented in Piercefiled, New York by inventor Abbot Augusts Lowe in 1909. His invention consisted of a “waste paper receptacle” that was created to improve the way paper was disposed of. He filed a patent for it, but his product was never actually manufactured.
Move forward to 1935, Adolf Ehinger manufactured a “hand-crank pasta maker” in Germany. Where he used it to shred documents during World War II. He later converted the hand-crank to an electric motor and marketed it as a paper shredder to government agencies and financial institutions. In 1959 his company also manufactured the first cross-cut paper shredder and continues to do so under the company name EBA Krug & Priester GmbH & Co.
It was rare for individuals or smaller companies to use paper shredders until the mid-1980s. Shredders were generally still only used by government agencies and financial institutions until this time. After the California vs. Greenwood Supreme Court ruling in 1988, that states the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the warrantless search and seizure of garbage left for collection outside of the home, shredders started becoming more popular among concerned patrons and companies alike. Privacy concerns were high and identity theft cases continue to rise.
And with that historical summary, make sure to shred important documents. Mobile Record Shredders is here to help. Find out more on our services page or contact us today.
