| As concern over global warning increases, businesses | | | | the sheets in four and stapling them together. |
| are under pressure to reduce their impact on the | | | | Even after you have taken steps to reduce |
| environment. While it is easy for a factory to identify | | | | paperwork and re-used where possible a certain |
| how they can reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, | | | | amount of wasted paper work is inevitable. This |
| what about the average office? One simple solution is | | | | includes junk mail, envelopes, retired files and day to |
| to remember the three R's, reduce, reuse and recycle. | | | | day work. |
| The biggest output from any office is waste paper. It is | | | | Although most businesses are interested in recycling |
| estimated that the average office worker produces 1.5 | | | | there are some complications. Several privacy laws |
| pounds of paper per day. And despite the promise of | | | | govern the proper disposal of private information. The |
| a paperless office, the sales of office paper continue | | | | principal of these is the Fair and Accurate Credit |
| to climb. While some paperwork must be stored for | | | | Transaction Act, FACTA. It requires shredding for |
| record retention guidelines, most of this paper ends up | | | | anything that contains personally identifiable information. |
| in the trash. | | | | FACTA has led many offices to buy a shredder and |
| Every office can work on reducing the amount of | | | | then dump the contents in the trash. An easier solution |
| paper they throw away. Some simple changes can | | | | to combine security with recycling is a paper shredding |
| make a big impact. Keep just one network printer in a | | | | service. A shredding service will not only recycle all the |
| central location and it will reduce the number of | | | | paper an office produces but they will shred it in |
| unnecessary print outs. Eliminating printers in every | | | | compliance with privacy laws. |
| office not only reduces paper consumption but | | | | The hidden benefit is the office saves the expense of |
| eliminates maintenance costs. | | | | buying inefficient desk side shredders. These cheap |
| You should also try to make all intra-office | | | | shredders are not only slow but end up in the trash |
| communication electronic where possible. Don't just | | | | when they inevitably seize up. |
| look at memos but any process that requires a piece | | | | And don't forget to buy recycled office paper. |
| of paper being printed. | | | | Purchasing 100% post-consumer office paper lightens |
| Why not reuse all of the paper that does not contain | | | | your carbon footprint by 5 pounds of carbon dioxide |
| sensitive or personal information. The unprinted backs | | | | per ream. It also causes 35% less water pollution, uses |
| make great scratch pads for the conference room. | | | | 40% less energy, and produces 74% less air pollution |
| Just set a box next to the printer to collect all the bad | | | | according to the EPA. |
| copies. You can also create memo pads by cutting | | | | |
