I don’t mind parting with money to pay for great products that look, feel and smell like they were created with love and passion; but when it comes to paper my environmentalist conscience kicks in. So instead of buying a notepad like a Moleskine, here’s what I’ve been doing for the past two years:
- Take 8 used A4-size sheets
- Fold them twice to make crease marks
- Tear or cut them along those marks to get 4 A6 sheets from each A4
- Stack all 32 A6 sheets together, blank side up. Wow, 32 sheets! Are you excited?
- Staple them two or three times along the top or sides depending how you like your sketchpads; using a size 23 stapler (the big kind)
Yes, Moleskine has some sort of social responsibility program but no amount of reprocessing, recycling and acid-free whatever beats reusing. My DIY notepad also has many advantages over a Moleskine and other notepads:
- I can vary the thickness. I use only 8 sheets because I like them thin. I hate it when bulky stuff.
- I’m not afraid of losing my notepad – I tear and throw away sheets as I use them. Sketches or notes? I usually just scan/digitize them.
- Can easily tear off a sheet if people around me need paper to write on in meetings
- It’s better for this planet!
- It’s fun if you mix in coloured paper!
- Except for the stapler (around RM12?), it’s FREE and takes less than a minute to make!
