Recycled Wrappings.
Pickings are slim when it comes to finding wrapping paper, greeting cards and calendars made from recycled paper. Many publishers print their products in Asia , where using paper from virgin forests is standard practice. Publishers also dupe consumers by printing the word “recyclable” on the back of the wrapping package. “Recyclable” only means the consumer can recycle the paper, not that it's made from recycled fibers. Consumers may think they're buying recycled paper, but they're not.
For the greenest option in store-bought cards, calendars and gift wrap, look for the words “made from recycled paper” or even better, the guarantee “made from 100% post-consumer waste.”
Recycled greeting cards available at the mall include Hallmark's Shoebox Greetings, My Thoughts Exactly, and Comedy Club. Environmental groups like the Sierra Club and National Audubon Society sell cards made from recycled paper, too; so do many museums and sports associations, like the National Golf Association and U.S. Sailing.
For cards on-line, greenstreetgreetings.com, .doodlegreetings.bcentralhost.com , and mothernaturegreetings.com offer some delightful choices. Nothing beats Bloomin' Flower Cards, though. After they're read and enjoyed, they can be planted. The seeds embedded in the paper will grow into flowers. Buy them at bloomin.com.
Most calendars are printed on valuable virgin paper. The exceptions are groups like Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, and Wild Light Press, according to the Conservatree Recycled Paper Company. Calendar production is planned a year ahead of time, so Conservatree urges you to let your favorite calendar suppliers know now that you expect them to make next year's calendar recycled.
As for gift wrap, start with what you have at home: the Sunday funnies. What about beautiful scarves, tablecloths, or towels that can double as both gift and wrapping? If your child (or the neighbor's) sells Sally Foster gift wrap from school, choose the recycled option, of which there are several.
For more ideas, visit
www.conservatree.com/paper/AddlProducts.shtml 
