What do YOU do to reduce paper-use?
The “What do YOU do?” series gives you a glimpse into my life as a messy, creative person and invites you to share your organizing insights and ideas.
Paper.
Despite the development of technological solutions galore (scanning, email, digital books, receipt scanners, ad nauseum), most people use paper as much as ever.
I happen to live in a part of the country where the raw materials for paper-making come from. Seeing clear-cuts makes me sad, but these forests are planted and harvested and replanted. It’s more like an extremely slow agricultural process than pillaging. I’m not sure the salmon would agree, but I’ll stay on topic. ; )
Saving a little paper here and there does help reduce the volume of trees needed, not to mention the energy needed to process it as waste or into recycled products. It also helps your wallet. So I do my part. I’ll bet you do too.
Here’s what I do reduce paper use
- Print infrequently - I print very very little, mostly because I don’t want to find a home for the document created. I can organize if needed, but it’s not high up on the list. : )
- Decline receipts - At the store the cashier will ask, “Would you like a receipt?” If it’s not business-related, I almost always decline. That’s a lot of paper over a lifetime.
- Pay bills online – Instead of ordering books of checks, I pay all my bills on my bank’s website.
- Virtual products – Inspired Home Office has several products and classes that are completely paper-free and use PDFs, audio, and web tools instead.
Here’s what I’m working on
- Hi, I’m Jen and I’m a paper junkie. (“Hiiii, Jennnnn!”) I use paper for taking notes during client sessions. I use paper sticky notes for everything and anything. I have huge sheets of 2′x3′ paper on pads for my weekly planning. I draw on paper when I’m trying to think of ideas. I journal on paper. I sell an info-product that is made from real paper. I get paper bills. I send cards. When it comes to paper, my learning style (tactile) trumps conservation. If I don’t move my body/hands, I can’t retain information as well.
- I try not to feel guilty. Most of the time (as heartless as this may sound), I don’t. But I’d love to hear what you do that saves paper. Maybe I’ll get inspired to do more!
What do YOU do that reduces paper-use?
Your turn! If you’d like, please share what you’re doing that helps you in your business and/or life – and also something that you’re working on/experimenting with.
Your comments on your own process are welcome. Just remember to give advice to me or others only when it’s specifically requested. This makes exploring safe and learning possible for every reader.
721 days ago,
Willie Hewes said:
Hi, Jen! I’m Willie and I’m a paper junkie. Hi, Willie!
I’d never even thought of refusing receipts, or keeping virtual products virtual.
I print a lot of stuff, including e-books. I also write on paper, even first drafts of difficult e-mails and such. It just works better for me, but it does mean I have 3 pages left in a moleskin I got in January. If this rate keeps up, I’ll go through 6 fancy notebooks this year. Eek.
Thanks for getting me to think about something I’d never thought about before, Jen.
721 days ago,
Darcy said:
Oooh, one of my favorite topics. We save printer paper that’s only been through the printer once to print on the back. Stuff that’s the wrong size to go through the printer gets put on a clipboard for note taking and list making. Any paper that comes into the house that has one clear side gets either printed on or clipboarded or cut up for scrap paper we keep in every room of the house and use to jot notes (library tickets, junk mail, greeting cards after they’ve been enjoyed).
When I lived in Philly many years ago, I heard the poet Chrystos speak and she advocated using every inch of every piece of paper that comes to us. I always think of her when it’s time to recycle something, asking myself if I’m sure I can’t get any more use out of it.
I do print my ebooks, though, because I won’t read them if I have to sit at the computer to do it.
.-= Darcy´s last blog ..Reset =-.
721 days ago,
jennifer said:
Hiiii Willie! Wow! You betcha. Welcome to the avowed paper consumers club.
Seriously, if your moleskin works, keep it. But it’s so great that you are thinking differently – that is what makes change possible if you decide to go that route.
Darcy – Very cool. Way to reuse! I used to do the same thing with printer paper except I’d always forget to put in “fresh” paper when I needed to print something “for show”. Now I don’t do that but appease my conscience with post-consumer recycled paper. I do LOVE me some paper!
720 days ago,
Jane Kirsch said:
Hi Jen:
I too was using the large 2 x 3 post-it sheets to plan and brainstorm on and thus had these big posters stuck all over my office walls and the back of the door.
I’m switching to using a large white board that I hung up. It’s actually better since you can wipe out a not-so-good idea when you get a better one. Then when I have the project sorted fairly well I take a digital photo of the board and download it to my computer. I can post it on my desktop or add it to the project’s file on my hard-drive.
Saving money as well as paper!
.-= Jane Kirsch´s last blog ..Go Ahead – Make a Mess! =-.
719 days ago,
Jennifer Rodriguez said:
Hi Jen -
I have a simple tool I use to reduce paper waste – a neat little piece of software called GreenPrint. It automatically detects unnecessary pages when you’re trying to print something (ex. last page of a website with only the html address on it) and eliminates them from your printouts. I love GreenPrint because it saves money on paper and ink, but also will help the environment by saving trees. I also am a fan because GreenPrint is a Portland-based business and I love supporting local, independent companies. As a freelance bookkeeper and QuickBooks Rockstar, I work with a lot of clients who produce a lot of paper and I always recommend GreenPrint to my customers because it’s so useful and so affordable.
719 days ago,
jennifer said:
Jane – I love that you’re finding that using a whiteboard helpful for you! Way to go!
Jennifer – Thanks for mentioning GreenPrint! What a fantastic tool. It’s $29 and upgrades are $10, so its cost seems to cut into the money you save on paper/ink. But if you print a lot, I’ll bet it’s really worth it. Thanks so much for the resource!
If readers want to check it out, here is their link: http://www.printgreener.com/