This Earth Month, Ditch the Screens, Buy Products in Paper Packaging and Embrace Your Inner Papertarian

April is Earth Month—a perfect time to take stock of our own environmental footprint and adopt habits that both benefit the planet and our own health. 

One simple and powerful way to do that? Embrace your inner papertarian by taking a much-needed Papertarian Hour. In our digitally-driven lives, it’s easy to forget that small, intentional, analog choices can promote sustainability, support mental health and enhance learning. That’s why the Paper and Packaging Board is inviting individuals, schools and workplaces to join the Papertarian Hour movement—a mindful initiative encouraging us to unplug from all those glowing screens and reconnect with paper, creativity and nature for at least one hour a day (or even just once a week). 

The environmental impact of digital technologies, including the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and energy consumption associated with the use and operation of digital devices and services are underrecognized. Add to it the growing understanding about the negative and addictive health effects of too much screen time from depression to anxiety, Earth Month is a good time to take a digital timeout. The antidote: A papertarian hour – your invitation to step away from the digital clutter and embrace paper-based activities that enrich your mind and reduce your footprint. Whether you're journaling, reading a book, playing a board game, solving a puzzle or writing a thank-you note, taking a Papertarian Hour helps:

• Reduce digital fatigue
• Boost focus and well-being
• Reignite creativity

A papertarian lifestyle is not just a digital thing. How you shop for your groceries matters too. Making a deliberate and conscious choice to buy products in paper packaging – from pasta to milk and juices, and yes even boxed water are a smart choice for the environment. Moreover, many of these products are purposely designed to be recycled and are recycled across the country. In fact, paper is among the most renewable, recyclable material in the world – and 100% circular – reducing waste and protecting our planet for the long term. 

What most people don’t know is that choosing paper is not “killing trees”, it incentivizes landowners to manage forests for the future, planting more than they use. In fact, the paper and packaging industry is a major reason that, for every tree harvested to make paper, many more are planted to take their place, helping forests thrive. A papertarian lifestyle then is about sustainable packaging choices and mental clarity, productivity and learning. 

So join me this Earth Month: Unplug for one hour and choose a paper-based activity you love. Make it a habit. Your mind, your memory and the planet will thank you. And shop papertarian at the grocery store for recyclable paper-based packages that get made into new paper products again and again. 

And don’t forget to share your Papertarian Hour experience on social media using the hashtag #PapertarianHour to inspire others and spread the message of mindful living—for a healthier you and a healthier planet.