At the turn of the century there was a big push and initiative to move toward a paperless office environment and society. For a time it seemed it was working. There were activist and frugalist (is that a word?) alike trying to push this agenda because it would save the environment and millions of dollars in printing costs.
But here we are, over 10 years into the new century and we are using just as much paper, if not more, than before. Was it realistic to think we would come to a point in our society where we would no longer use paper? I don’t think so, because it has become so ingrained in our DNAs that we can’t help but consume paper.
Less But More
Granted we may use less because of new technology like ebooks and document management systems, but the vast majority of people in our world still prefer paper. They want to feel and smell new (and sometimes old) books. The people in the legal profession need to see a real signature on the reams and reams of paper they print for contracts.
Let’s not forget about the paper manufacturers who make a living making paper. They are getting on board to an extent by making paper out of recycled products, but those products are more expensive than “new” paper! What’s that all about?
Paper Everywhere
So it seems going paperless is not such a great idea after all. We use paper at home, at school, and in public. Magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and thousands of household and industrial products are made from paper. Paper is a staple that will last forever, or at least until someone finds a way to convince the world that we can truly be a paperless society.
An Idea Without Much Thought?
The people who came with the idea of paperless offices didn’t consider the gargantuan initiative this would be. Millions of dollars would have to be spent to save millions of dollars in a paperless society. In the long term it is definitely good for the environment and would save millions of trees.
Unfortunately coming up with solutions, other than electronically storing information, was not forthcoming. Who would develop an inexpensive process for making paper from recycled material or come up with a solution the legal and real estate industries and corporate America in general would embrace?
Back to Business as Usual
Without a clear plan of action, it is back to business as usual. People continue to use paper and scoff at the idea of going paperless. If our society and government were open to conditioning the public to become citizens who contribute, more than consume, there might be a chance for change.
Perhaps more innovation in the area of recyclables would come to the forefront. Instead of ridiculing artist and inventors for using “junk” or trash, why not provide funding and incentives?
The push for a paperless society will be a very slow process. Writers will write, artist will paint, and corporations will produce reports, all of which are done on paper.
Are you or your corporation in interested in learning how to manage your documentation with a document management system? Samantha Gregory offers advice and suggests solution that may be right for you. She also writes technical documentation for high tech industries and businesses.
