Before buying recycled-content paper products meeting EPA’s recommendations, you’ll need to understand some important terms.

In the early 1970s, an EPA study for Congress concluded that using one ton of 100% recycled paper saves 4,100 kwh of energy (enough to power the average home for six months) and 7,000 gallons of water. It also keeps more than 60 pounds of pollution out of the air. Paper mills have become much more efficient since that time, but recycling paper still results in far less resource and environmental demand than making virgin paper.

All community-recycling programs are typically independent of one another. What you recycle depends on where you live.