There are two good reasons to use paper efficiently. The first is because using less paper saves money: not only because you're buying less paper, but also by saving on mailing costs, and the amount of time your staff spend copying, printing and filing paper.
The second good reason is to lessen the impact on our environment. More trees are being cut down to meet demand for paper and this could have a drastic effect on our climate as trees help absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which causes global warming. Cutting down trees also affects our natural environment, leading to increasing soil erosion and increased flooding risk by causing rivers to silt up. The process of making paper is also energy intensive and gives off harmful emissions. In fact, the energy used to produce just five sheets of paper can run an 80W bulb for an hour. Recycling paper uses a lot less energy.
It is difficult to stop using paper when running a business, but we can save money and the environment by using it better. Read our top tips for effective paper use and find out what office equipment can reduce paper wastage.
With the help of technology we can cut out the need to use paper altogether in some areas of our work. Check out our handy list of how to communicate without paper. Also see our hints on how to work towards a paperless office.
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