Paper And Technology - Part 1

Articles

Paper And Technology - Part 1 - Why The Waste?

By Barbara Anna Marjanovic
Nov. 10, 2004

As an accountant, I always wondered about the paper issue. Why so much paper? The excuse: "We need backup in case the computers go down".

Sad excuse.

Medium sized to large corporations have decided to solve this in two ways:

1) Microfiching (a dead form of taking a picture of the documents and saving them on film &

2) Scanning the documents into files

But still, as an accountant speaking, there is still too much paper. Speaking with my collegues, I've collaborated on this theory that maybe the paper companies have a secret pact with industry to keep accounting and other data-ladden departments hungry for their product. The paper companies pay the heads of corporations to send subliminal messages to their departments to use paper as much as possible. Its just a theory.

Yes, some accountants, lawyers, shredders, and other professionals might argue, "there has been a decrease in paper usage," maybe, but not enough to really make a difference. I'm not a tree-hugger, don't think of me like that, but I just find it useless printing so much garbage. Its like we have a sentimentality for paper.

Being also a writer, I am straddled with this issue as well, but let's deal with the simple fact of the overuse of paper. Sure we can recycle this stuff, but I find that any recycling that is done is usually by the large corporations, and some samplings of the medium and small companies, but that's just my sampling from my little town here in Calgary. Things may be different elsewhere, but I am sure if you accumulated all the paper that went in the garbage from non-recycling companies and households, you would have a forest to cover the earth ten times over--at least!

In the end, I say, print only what you need! If you have to trace and vouch like us accountants and other technicians, see if you can do it on screen...use highlighter functions that I see are more and more randomly available on programs. I know; there are those companies that are out there that still use outdated programs that don't have such functionality. Tell your boss to upgrade! The long-term benefits of having an uncluttered, paper-saving office are more prevalent than you think.

Wouldn't it be nice to see clean offices, be able to see your desk? How about seeing files of useful information rather than useless? How about eliminating files all together? How about saving money long-term?

These are large-scale, upper-level thoughts...then you have to implement some sort of plan to get this end result...and on and on we go. Just remember...the one piece of paper you recycle could save you money in the end, maybe save a tree, and maybe increase the oxygen intake of the world via photosynthesis. Who knows...until next time...

------------

About the author: Barbara has been writing short stories for the enjoyment of friends and family for years. In the Collection she has decided to share some of these stories and insights with others. Barbara lives in Calgary, Alberta and enjoys writing, reading and tending to her other field: accounting. Website: http://www.authorsden.com/barbaraannamarjanovic

Email: blueswan28@yahoo.com

Tell a friend about this site!

------------

All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED!