If you’re passionate about your garden, you might be surprised to learn how office paper waste connects to the health of your outdoor spaces. American businesses discard 21 million tons of paper annually, and this waste crisis has ripple effects that reach far beyond the office, affecting pollinators, landfills, and the environment your garden depends on. ¹

Tom Willday, founder of sustainable stationery company SeedPrint, has spent years connecting the dots between paper consumption and environmental health. “Most people don’t realize that paper waste isn’t just an office problem.” According to him, those wasted sheets of paper at work are part of the broader problem facing pollinators, meaning it is ultimately a garden problem. “Every sheet that ends up in a landfill instead of supporting the ecosystem is a missed opportunity.”

Here are five critical connections between paper waste and your garden, plus practical solutions every gardener can implement.

1. 70% of Office Waste Could Support Wildlife Instead

Paper products make up 70% of total office waste, with the average office worker using 10,000 sheets annually. That’s 680 pounds of paper waste per American each year ending up in landfills when it could be supporting the pollinators your garden needs. ²

“Gardeners understand the importance of pollinators better than anyone,” says Willday. “When we talk about sustainable stationery options like plantable paper embedded with wildflower seeds, we’re reducing waste whilst creating pollinator habitat. That wedding invitation or greeting card can literally become a patch of wildflowers that feeds bees and butterflies.”

The global green stationery market is projected to reach $13.70 billion by 2030, up from $9.87 billion in 2023, driven partly by gardeners and environmental advocates seeking products that give back to nature rather than just taking less from it.

Gardener Action: Choose plantable paper products for invitations, cards, and business stationery. When disposed of properly in soil, they germinate into wildflowers that support local pollinators.

2. Not All Paper Belongs in Your Compost Bin

Many gardeners compost paper products, but contamination remains an issue. A Xerox study found that nearly half of all printed documents are discarded within 24 hours. What’s worse is the inks, toners, and coatings that come with paper that don’t belong in garden compost. ³

“There’s a misconception that all paper is compost-safe,” Willday notes. “Standard office paper often contains chemicals, bleaches, and petroleum-based inks that can introduce contaminants into your garden soil.”

In other words, sustainable alternatives that use plant-based inks and unbleached fibers are what you should be using since they are actually safe for composting.

The US stationery market is gradually shifting toward compost-safe options, but gardeners need to read labels carefully.

Gardener Action: Look for stationery labeled with plant-based inks, unbleached fibers, and compost-safe certifications. When in doubt, choose products specifically designed for composting or plantable alternatives.

3. Paper Takes Up 40% of America’s Dumps

Paper constitutes 40% of US landfill content despite widespread recycling infrastructure. Paper and paperboard comprise 23.1% of municipal solid waste, with 67.4 million tons generated in 2018 alone. That’s land that could be gardens, parks, or green spaces. ⁴

“As gardeners, we’re constantly thinking about how to use space wisely and the same principle applies at scale,” says Willday. With millions of tons of paper and cardboard waste going to landfills, that represents an enormous missed opportunity for environmental benefit.

Consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for sustainable products, a shift Willday attributes partly to gardeners witnessing environmental changes firsthand.

Gardener Action: Support businesses using sustainable stationery and packaging. Many garden centers and nurseries are switching to plantable tags and recycled paper packaging—vote with your wallet.

4. 30% of Printed Pages Never Get Used

Office inefficiency directly impacts environmental resources your garden needs. Xerox’s study revealed that 30% of printed documents are never retrieved from printers, and 50% are thrown away within 24 hours. That’s water, energy, and trees wasted for nothing.

“Gardeners don’t like to waste water, compost, or space,” Willday points out. “When businesses waste paper at this scale, they’re wasting the same natural resources we work so hard to conserve in our gardens. The paper industry is a significant water consumer, and every wasted sheet represents wasted water that could have supported agriculture or ecosystems.”

Recent innovations include products made from 100% recycled materials and bamboo-based alternatives that require significantly less water than traditional paper production.

Gardener Action: If you operate a garden-related business, implement digital-first policies for internal documents and choose sustainable alternatives when printing is necessary.

5. Why Product Claims Matter

YouGov’s 2024 research found 55% of Americans doubt most brands’ eco-friendly claims. Just as you wouldn’t trust unmarked seeds or unverified fertilizers, sustainable product claims need verification. ⁵

“Gardeners are natural skeptics because they’ve learned through experience what works and what doesn’t,” says Willday. “Products with verifiable, tangible benefits resonate strongly.”

Consumer segmentation shows how consumers are actively seeking sustainable products, while 24% remain skeptical. But the big middle market wants proof.

Gardener Action: Seek products with transparent sourcing, third-party certifications (FSC, PEFC), or tangible benefits you can verify yourself, like plantable paper that actually germinates.

Sources

1. https://www.officedasher.com/paper-consumption-statistics/
2. https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/office-worker-waste-generation/
3. https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/office-worker-waste-generation
4. https://blog.eversign.com/paper-waste-facts/
5. https://business.yougov.com/content/48342-navigating-sustainability-insights-into-us-consumer-trends-for-2024