Green Options » paperless

Back to School Week: Tips for Paper-Free Education

Shirley Siluk Gregory — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:01:16 +0000

Back-to-school preparations traditionally mean stocking up on lots and lots of paper stuff: filler paper, notepads, laser paper, construction paper, folders and, of course, lots and lots of books. And while students are becoming increasingly eco-aware, a lot of those paper things on their shopping lists are impossible to buy used: notepads and printing paper have to be pristine and even many textbooks become quickly and uselessly out of date.

So what’s a conservation-minded student or teacher to do? Here are some suggestions:

Starve a Bookworm, Save a Tree: The Pros and Cons of Going Paperless

Justin Van Kleeck — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:00:28 +0000

One of the great benefits of technology nowadays is the ability to do many, many things electronically. With a decent connection (even dial-up, used by poor stone-age folks like me), a willingness to trust sensitive data to cyberspace, and companies offering e-services, you can do everything from pay your bills to read the newspaper online. And, of course, you can e-communicate, too: Why write a crotchety old letter when you could e-mail, IM, blog, teleconference…?

Besides the general convenience and speed that going paperless provides, managing your life electronically also can help out the Earth. When you go paperless you require less paper, ergo you reduce the number of trees that have to be cut down, ground up into pulp, and then magically transformed into yet another bill, catalogue, or credit card offer.

The number of trees saved when you do it the e-way is pretty significant. Paxton Ramsdell at The Nature Conservancy shares these numbers:

If only one in five households switched to electronic bills, statements and payments, the collective impact would save 151 million pounds of paper, avoid filling 8.6 million garbage bags and eliminate 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.1

Since our friends the trees do so much for us, from sequestering carbon to producing oxygen to inspiring our wonder and our fear, you can feel great about going paperless in every way. Yes, sometimes being an environmentalist has its benefits–in this case convenience cum sustainability. So why not go e-green?

Well, here is one possibly good reason to be wary of going paperless in toto. At least I think it is a good one.

Long before I was a conscientious environmentalist, I was…a bookworm. And more than that, I was…a bibliophile…a book addict with a serious craving. I have an affinity for old books in particular. The ones that make you sneeze with dust when you open them. The ones that require tweezers and padded cushions even to be read. The ones that cannot even be looked at too hard or too long lest you damage them. The ones that require climate-controlled basement rooms without windows kept precisely at specific temperatures and humidity levels.

Don’t let the fax get in your way

Paul Smith — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:25:47 +0000

Faxing. It’s something that most people would rather not have to deal with, but for most, it’s a must. Or is it? Do you really have to deal with cranky machines, dusty toner cartridges, perfectly (mis)timed paper jams? No, you don’t. You don’t need a phone line either. How? Well of course, some of you are saying, eFaxing. And who to go with to do such a thing? eFax, right? Sorry, wrong number. I recently discovered two different options to meet differing needs, depending on how much of a need you have for faxing.

Tip o’ the Day: Click This, Tax Man!

Rebecca Carter — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:30:56 +0000

Happy Tax Day! It actually came late this year, though some of us still may be working down to the wire. Get things done fast and simply by going completely "e" with your taxes this year.

The first thing you'll want to do is file electronically. You can do this in many different ways, but basically, you'll be taking the paper out of the process. Seventy-three million tax returns were filed electronically in 2006! That's what we call tree-happy taxes! Plus, there is a program available to some lower income families called Free File, which offers free e-filing.

Owe money? Ouch. Lessen the pain by not writing out a check - that just hurts. Instead, pay Uncle Sam electronically via credit card. You're paperless on those credit card statements anyway, right?

Getting money? Yeessss! Get a direct deposit and you'll not only save paper printing and mailing, but you'll get your money back almost a month sooner.

Oh, and don't forget about your phone credit, which you don't really need. Consider donating it to Refunds for Good.

Rebecca says: This is a themed tip for Tax Day, but everyone has already filed theirs, right? I mean, it was done back in February, for sure. If so, then feel free to check this one off without even lifting a finger!