The Paperless Office
 

Paper Use Facts:

• From 1981-1984, with the introduction of computers and printers, U.S. paper consumption increased by almost 7 million tons
• The average office worker uses a sheet of paper every 12 minutes
• American businesses generate enough paper to circle the Earth 20 times every day

Why has paper use increased?

• Increased accessibility to printers and ease of use
• Many are more comfortable reading hard copies of documents
• Paper is easier to transport to a meeting and disperse than a desktop
• Hard copies of reports are commonly thought to be more likely to be read
• Many feel that hard copies are a safer way to store data

How can we decrease paper use?

• Print only when necessary
• Read and revise documents on the computer
• Print one copy of a document to circulate throughout the office
• Remove your name from mailing lists (See Reducing Unwanted Mail page 1 and page 2)
• Use electronic faxes or PDF's to send documents
• Eliminate the need for fax cover sheets by using cover post-its or a stamp
• Make double-sided copies when printing
• Reuse the back sides of paper for scrap