Xerox of Canada and the famed PARC (inventors of the graphical user interface) research team are developing a special erasable paper and printing process, according to the ITWire.

Much of the pages printed on office laser printers is for temporary use, such as handing out memos. Being able to print on the paper again instead of having to collect it and send it to a recycling center should save a lot energy and processing costs.

Newspapers could be a potential use of erasable paper, especially if the printing could be engineered to last 2 days.

The pressure is on publishers who use only "virgin" pulp to print their magazines and catalogs. Forest Ethics has convinced Victoria's Secret owner Limited Brands to stop purchasing pulp taken from Canada’s Great Boreal Forest and to start using recycled materials in its catalogues.

Recycled paper may cost a little more today, but improvements in processing technology and streamlining the collection process should make it both cheaper and better for the environment. When we consider the energy cost of felling the trees and the losing the CO2 sinks, printing on recycled paper is the more sustainable option.