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The Paper Calculator is a free, web-based tool that helps you measure and reduce the environmental impacts of paper. It uses a science-based methodology grounded in life cycle assessment (LCA) to estimate impacts across the full life cycle of paper — from raw material extraction and processing to the end-of-life.
Many users also leverage the Paper Calculator to quantify the benefits of using less paper. In this case, simply enter the paper you avoided using, and see the environmental savings. This makes it easy for organizations to make smarter choices, reduce waste, and track sustainability progress.
Managed by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), a coalition of over 350 nonprofit organizations, the Paper Calculator is widely recognized as the most credible, transparent, and independent tool for estimating paper's impacts. Thousands of organizations rely on it to guide paper procurement, sustainability reporting, and impact reduction strategies.
The Paper Calculator has evolved since its creation in 2005, originally developed by the Environmental Defense Fund and built on the scientific work of the Paper Task Force, a three-year multi-stakeholder research project. Regular updates and major upgrades — including the current version, v4.1 — ensure the Paper Calculator reflects the latest data, improved accuracy, and the expanding ways people are using it to reduce their environmental footprint.
For methodology details, refer to the current life cycle methodology documents under the RESOURCES tab. Contact info@environmentalpaper.org with questions.
