A paperless planet – Do you really support and contribute for this goal?
We’re moving closer and closer to a paperless world. At some point, most mail will be email, most books will be e-books, and most news will be online. There is no doubt that going paperless delivers a greatly positive environmental impact. Globally, more and more people are involving themselves in green initiatives.
Decreasing the consumption of paper not only severely lessens our carbon footprint, but it also reduces the strain on our wallets. Consumers are often hesitant to go paperless because of concerns in managing their financial documentation digitally. Security threats, privacy risks and the complexity of electronic processing have left great concern. A Paperless society is one in which paper communication (written documents, mail, letters, etc.) is replaced by electronic communication and storage.
Simply said, save the paper, save the trees. We all know that by using less paper we are helping in making a positive impact on the environment. Not only does the pulp and paper industry affect our trees, but it also affects the oxygen we breathe and the energy we use every day. If printing in your office does have to occur consider recycled paper for those jobs. In this day in age we aim to preserve our planet for the future. Let’s make sure we are helping in any way we can to aid that movement.
According to PayItGreen.org, by eliminating paper bills, payments and statements alone, the average household would save 6.6 pounds of paper each year and avoid the release of 171 pounds of greenhouse gases. If all U.S. households were to go paperless, over the course of a single year it could save 16.5 million trees and reduce greenhouse gasses by 3.9 billion pounds.
Additionally, it would eliminate 13 billion gallons of toxic waste water and 1.6 billion pounds of solid waste in landfills. Although many people have made the switch to online banking, the majority of bank customers still receive bank statements and bills by mail, causing billions of pounds in paper production and consumption. Going paperless is an easy and free way to mitigate risks on our environment.
iFOLD Save paper initiative
It takes 17 to 24 years for a pine tree to grow. If one imagines the paper consumption versus the mass scale cultivation of pine trees, the story does not present a very pretty picture. Stationery shops sell colorful papers, sheets, post-its, index cards, creative paper bags, greeting cards and paper-mâché products. Even though these are recyclable and bio-degradable, don’t you think the production of paper has to stop in the first place?
Hope this reaches out to every individual. This initiative is not to say NO to paper because that is practically not doable. Remember Cogito Ergo Sum? “I think; therefore I am”. A little initiative should probably be an imagination for a paper-free world and the efforts we make to use every bit of that sheet we have with us. Stop people from wasting paper unless it is completely used. Companies should encourage employees to use less paper.
Well, it is hard to imagine a paperless world unless you are sitting in some futuristic Google or an Apple office where gadget concepts might still manage to replace a piece of paper completely. That is not quite possible otherwise. Not in the next 50 years. Several eucalyptus and pine trees are cut out of which around 366 kilograms of paper are produced. Wood turns into pulp which is treated and spread into white sheets of paper that we bin so quickly if it looks a little crumpled.
Abstain from fancy stationery products unless you do need them as a compulsion. Fancies do catch our imaginations but where is the hidden spirit to fight for a cause. Show that you are part of the ever changing business world and be open to the challenge. Although it might not be realistic for you to go entirely paperless at this point or even ever, baby steps in that direction may help you consider the benefits more seriously.
Start exploring small changes in that direction. Realizing the advantages may allow you to open the door to start exploring the solutions to get you there.
We would love to hear from you. You have a way to save paper, or have a story that contributed to the cause? Tell us about your initiative and useful comments to make this planet sustainable in future.
Save paper to save environment !
