How times have changed – and are still changing. For instance, take a moment to follow the paper trail here in Maine.

Not so long ago the pulp and paper industry was a mainstay of the Maine economy. Many worked in paper mills or cut and harvested trees from our nest egg of natural resources, the Great North Woods. We were papermakers.

Of course there were issues and controversies that never seemed to go away. Working at the mill meant a steady job, even if you worked through the night. Cutting down trees with a chain saw was and continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the country.

Then everything changed as the paper companies began leaving Maine in recent years. Global changes in the industry meant tough times. Paper manufacturing was outsourced where wages would be but a drop in the bucket, creating hard times and bitter feelings for Maine families.

Now paper is back in the news, center stage, though in an entirely different context. And that is paper recycling.

First we made the paper, now we’re trying to save the paper. Why? Recycling paper extends landfill capacity around Maine and across the nation. Recycling paper also keeps a valuable product out of the landfills so it can be transformed into a new product in the process. Recycled paper can be used for newspapers, grocery bags, cardboard, packaging, stationery, books, magazines, insulation material, paper towels, paper plates and lots more. Using recycled materials translates into savings for everyone.

Just think: If we recycled all of our paper that we currently throw away, that alone would achieve Maine’s goal to recycle 50 percent of our municipal waste. In 2005, 39 percent of what we recycled was paper. That’s not bad, but consider that there is a whopping 300,000 tons of paper that is still going into landfills or incinerators. We can do better.

So what is standing in the way of progress? Keeping down costs of recycling depends on economies of scale. More of us need to recycle more of our paper. And with fuel prices steadily rising, it’s more important than ever for those trucks transporting our materials to travel full.

But it also is a matter of change in our culture. This is about us. Recycling paper, reducing waste and costs, keeping Maine green – these are all in our common interest today and into the future. Making the change simply to collect and recycle paper – rather than tossing it in the trash – will be good for us all.

Recycling provides profound economic and environmental benefits during paper production, long considered the world’s third most resource-intensive industry. All of this translates into financial advantages for you and me, the consumers.

It’s a decision. We need to add paper recycling to our list and to our home and office routine. Not all that difficult, right? When you see paper, remind yourself that it’s a valuable resource. Recycle your paper. It’s one of the easiest ways to reduce greenhouse gases and preserve our quality of life. Those trees out there are more than pretty – they help our planet breathe.

To get specific details about your community recycling program, contact your town office, public works department or transfer station. Our Web site www.mainerecycles.com has phone numbers for most towns and regions.

Jetta Antonakos is a recycling planner with the Maine Waste Management & Recycling Program.