CUTTING PAPER - IDEAS - What about the paperless office?
 

What about the "Paperless Office"?

Some years ago, the idea of the 'paperless office' was popularized as an ideal.  We are all familiar with 'paperwork' — such as filling out seemingly useless or unnecessarily complicated forms.  Electronic alternatives such as computers seemed to offer the promise of getting a machine to do this busywork.  By banishing the paper, we could avoid the hassle.

 
 
There is no question that electronic data management can be used to reduce administrative burdens.  However, paper doesn't cause paperwork, organizations do, and they are still quite with us. Because organizations can process electronic forms more easily than paper ones, it may be that so-called ‘paperwork’ will even increase in the future, with most of it done on-line.  It was never fair to blame the paper, so while we reduce paper use, we should not go overboard and try to avoid paper in those cases where it is the best tool for the job.

Paper is far too useful and satisfying to want to get rid of it. Even if we tried, we wouldn’t be successful.  A "Paperless Office" makes about as much sense as a "glassless office" or a "metalless office".

The ‘paper efficiency’ approach acknowledges the usefulness of paper, but recognizes that we can still use considerably less than we do now.  The "Paperless Office" is like a starvation fast that just won't last. By contrast, "Paper Efficiency" is like a balanced diet with good physical exercise.
 
 

What about Paper Recycling?

Increasing paper efficiency is usually quite separate from office paper recycling programs.  The actions you take to do one don't help out the other. When paper efficiency is successful, there is less material to be collected for recycling (and less put into landfills as well).  Recycling goals and programs need to be adapted as we reduce paper use, but recyclers understand that it is better to make less waste even when it reduces recycling.

There are resources on the web and in your community to help you start or improve your office paper recycling efforts. See the "Other Issues" section in the "Other Tools" area for some recycling links.


 
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