In which no impact man finally finds recycled notebooks

We’re into the third stage of the project—low, sustainable consumption—and I need notebooks in order to work. I tried making some out of pieces of card, paper printed on one side and staples, and I actually used them for a while. But they sucked.

So I start traipsing around the stationers (since buying online means packaging) and no one has recycled notebooks. Not Kate’s Paperie, not anyone. It’s dispiriting. They don’t have them because there is no demand for them. Meanwhile, here in the USA, we cut down a huge number of trees for paper, most of which ends up in the dump (anyone care to comment on what the horrible number actually is?).

Finally, Will Georgiades (two days, two mentions, because he works in the next cubicle at the Writer’s Room) showed me the notebooks he uses, made by the Japanese company Muji from 100% recycled paper. Muji distinguishes itself with its design minimalism, emphasis on recycling, avoidance of waste in production and packaging, and no-logo policy.

But they don’t have a store in New York.

Fortunately, the MoMA Store in Soho carries some Muji stuff. So—Yippee!—I have notebooks again. Of course, even though, they were recycled they were shipped all the way from Japan. Oy vey! You make your choices.

Anybody care to comment on which is worse: virgin paper or shipping from across the planet? Better yet: anybody want to start a recycled paper notebook company in the United States or at least tell me about one that already exists?