Three Reasons Why it’s Time to Move On from Post-its and an Eco-friendly Alternative

Originally posted in September 2017, we wanted to bring back this blog focused on being environmentally friendly with your note-taking. 

 

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Okay. This time I thought I'd start with a question for everybody. 

 

Why are so many people still stuck on the sticky note?

 

Seriously. I'm not knocking 3M in any way. The company has sold millions of paper Post-Its(R) since its inception in the late seventies. And the term 'post-it,' like 'kleenex,' has become a generic, top-of-mind term for all repositionable paper tools. In fact, 3M was ground-breaking in introducing this type of product -- and that's no small feat.

 

However, I do have concerns with repositionable paper note products (a.k.a. post-its, sticky notes, stickies, and sticky little beasties) of any brand and here they are, 

 

wipebook whiteboard note and dry erase postit landfill

 

1. STICKY NOTES END UP IN THE RECYCLE BIN OR THE TRASH

 

Whether we realize it or not, as human beings we have this visceral need to write temporary lists -- to-do lists, shopping lists, notes-to-self. It’s proven that handwriting notes help us remember better. The bad news is that these temporary reminders are only good for a brief reminder before hitting the trash or recycle bins.

 

What happens to all these repositionable notes when they've been spent and used? People get rid of them. 

 

And what's the cumulative impact of several million people using and disposing of these tiny pieces of paper? Here's what World Watch says:

 

  • 3M's adhesive is water-soluble, but the chemical adhesive usually gets flushed into the wastewater system -- just like brighteners, dyes, and bleaches used with any brand of sticky notes. 
  • According to water treatment providers, World Watch tells us, sediments and dissolved solids are easier to remove from the wastewater stream than contaminants from repositionable notes.
  • Lastly, sticky notes don't always reach the recycling plant where they were intended to go. Instead, they get shipped overseas. And then, World Watch notes, the transportation to get the little beasties to their overseas destination is "fossil fuel-intensive."

 

And what's the cumulative impact of several million people using and disposing of these tiny pieces of paper? Here's what World Watch says:

     

    wipebook whiteboard notebook dry erase post it on post it

     

    2. HOW CAN YOU BE PROPERLY ORGANIZED USING STICKY NOTES?

     

    We’re all about visible learning and showing your thinking, but the writing surfaces that most repositionable notes provide are so small that multiple post-its are required. Then you’re required to move these many little stickies all over a large surface.

     

    And depending upon the quality of the paper, the company that manufactures them, or how much coffee has been spilled on them, they'll tear when moved around, or not re-stick properly.

     

    wipebook whiteboard notebook dry erase postit tower

     

    3. WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE STUCK WITH THIS ISLAND OF STICKY NOTES

     

    We've all seen it and we've all done it: Post-its all over the computer, on your writing surfaces, chairs, and walls,  sticky notes on top of sticky notes. You’ve gone from note-taking to note hoarder, and when your neighbour in the next workspace over starts to complain about the Great Post-it Invasion of 2019, you know you've reached rock bottom.

     

    wipebook whiteboard notebook dry erase write stuff down

     

    LUCKILY, WE HAVE A SOLUTION!

     

    Our Wipebook erasable notebooks and flipcharts are a combination of whiteboards, anchor charts, and notebooks, and they surpass sticky notes in the following ways, 

     

    • They are environmentally friendly: With our notebooks and anchor charts, you won't create a pile of tiny little papers that get discarded after a single-use. You’ll have pages that can be used, erased and used again so your temporary notes and ideas won’t harm the environment.
    • You’ll be more organized: You can organize your pages, make your to-do lists, erase and start over. With our erasable anchor charts, you can arrange your ideas on the wall and edit sections as you go. And our pages won’t rip or tear when handled frequently ensure that you are reducing waste and protecting your ideas.
    • Save goodbye to Post-it mountain: Whether you’re using our Wipebook flipcharts or notebooks, your pages and ideas can easily be organized and put away in the notebook folio or on the anchor chart easel, ready to be pulled back out when you’re ready to work again. Clutterless and clean. .


    So the era of the sticky notes is coming to an end, but we've got your back with an environmentally friendly way to get organized for the future.

    Just say'in.

     

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