Project Paper-less: Cutting Usage by a Fifth
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 12.12.07
Boy, that John Dee guy gets around. Co-founder of Planet Ark, (Australia’s) National Tree Day, organising the first public Wollemi Pine forest sanctuary and now we find he is at it again. This time with Project Paper-less, a business education scheme with the rather ambitious target of reducing Australia’s consumption of paper by a whopping 20%.
The trick to wean Australians off their 1.4 million tonnes of printing and fine paper annually is to show business that there are cost savings and productivity gains in using less paper and embracing new digital technologies.
But John’s vision knows no bounds, because he wants businesses not to pocket those savings but to reinvest them in buying local FSC certified papers or recycled content paper. (Currently only 11% of Australian office paper is recycled and for every tonne so recycled 17 trees, 31,000 litres of water and 4,100 Kwh of electricity are saved.)
Part of the plan is to showcase successful case studies so business can learn from its peers. A fledging website is underway to assist. ::Project Paper-less, via a radio news interview.
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
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Anyone who manages to move us closer to paperless offices will get my vote!
When he's helped rid us of paper I hope he makes similar plans to rid us of the wires...
I work at a huge university - over 20 thousand staff and students. I dread to think of the paper wasted. A green initiative is currently in its infancy, with recycling bins strategically placed and working parties looking into options. You'd think everyone would be on the ball and looking for solutions...
I recently requested a batch of paper for all the printers in our massive department but instead of receiving a shipment of boxes of 80grms, whoever put in the order asked for boxes of 90. Why? Most of that paper is going to go into the trash and only a tiny fraction will be used for documents which must be saved as hardcopy. Such a waste.
Yes, much of it will now be recycled, but it will be recycled needlessly.
And this will be happening in every big organization in ever town and city in the country.
Great.
So apart from using email instead of paper whenever possible (and not printing unimportant emails, of course) consider the weight of paper you use. Making a slight reduction does not only involve no effort at all, but it's cost effective.
I hopie John Dee succeeds. But it's so easy for us all to make a significant difference with only the tiniest of thought.
Steve N. Lee
Author of eco-thriller 'What if...?'
and free eco-guide 'An Inconvenient Doofus'
www.BestThrillerEver.com