You don’t need to run and wash your hands, but there’s no telling where this paper came from.

The Northern Star is printed on recycled paper, which helps make a small contribution to saving the environment.

The Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources released a report stating the 1991 goal of the Recycled Newsprint Act was surpassed by 1 percent.

According to the report, Illinois newspapers consumed 23 percent of recycled fiber in 1991.

The Northern Star Adviser Jerry Thompson said the Star uses recycled paper because “it’s just cheaper,” not for “altruistic reasons.”

Castle Communications, the Star’s printing company, has been using recycled paper for about three years.

“It’s slightly cheaper than virgin paper,” Thompson said. “If it were slightly more expensive, we would probably still use recycled paper.”