World Paper Free Day - 28 October 2010

Paper is overwhelming us. Not just us, my family. Not just US, my country. But us, the world.

For one day, let's not create new paper - here are tips from the video, along with my suggestions:

1) Do not print or copy documents unless absolutely required.

[Meg's idea - open a text document and write down "why" each time you do print/copy something]

2) Use document scanners to convert paper to electronic format, then shred the paper.

[Meg's idea - keep a box for documents to shred and take it at the end of the day to a place that will shred by weight (often $2/pound), then give yourself a gift equal in value to the cost of the shredding]

3) Use Web 2.0 technologies like wikis and blogs for internal communication and collaboration.

[Meg's idea - blog/tweet/e-mail about world paper free day, and include the instruction that they MUST NOT PRINT out what you send]

4) Keep [put] all your documents requiring review and refinement into a single electronic place.

[Meg's idea - do this for all documents associated with at least one project you really care about]

5) Use web interfaces and forms for online applications and order placement, replace paper forms with eForms.

[Meg's idea - you know that gift you get to give yourself because of the shredding? Make that "gift" a download - buy it online using an online form. Bonus if you also e-mail a company that doesn't allow their product to be downloaded and tell them lack of electronic option is why you didn't buy something from them today]

6) Sign up for e-bill delivery or online billing rather than paper statements, and pay your bills electronically.

[Couldn't say it better. Bonus if you switch from an account that doesn't offer paperless statements to one that does (and tell them why they lost your business)]

7) Learn about electronic signatures and how they work in your environment.

[Meg's idea - send someone an electronically-signed e-mail today and forward the url for the World Paper Free Day video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGymXkIli6Y ]

8) Map, design, and manage all you business processes electronically.

[Meg's idea - disconnect a computer from the printer today and see how much you can do without hooking up the cable]

Happy Paper Free Day!