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Honestly, you have heard it, I have heard it, it's out there and it's called the paperless office.
The truth? I think it might be an unachievable dream. Mind you I am all for saving the forests, in fact I preach about recycling everything. But, lets face it, humanity is not about to let go off paper for a while to come. Why, you may ask...
Well, paper was invented, in the form of papyrus, by the Egyptians more then 2.000 years ago. And we have been using it for most of that time, even if it only arrived in Europe much later, the damage was already done. It's been in our daily life for millennia's. You can not get rid of an imprint like that in a decade or two, it's in the genes.
Furthermore, paper is generally lighter and far cheaper than, say, a laptop or similar device. What about a palmtop (PDA)? The same applies, besides have you ever tried to read a book (e-book or PDF) on a PDA? Well it's not easy. I should know I read Orson Well's "The time machine" on my iPaq, I kid you not. Also PC's, laptops, PDA's require energy, paper on the other hand does not. It also does not emit light, only reflects it, thus making reading a more pleasant and satisfying experience.
The bottom line is simple: How many time have you printed an email, a contract or other documents to read it, or file it? Reading on paper still makes sense to us, until it does not, we will carry on and the paperless office, as technically possible as it is, it is only a dream.
We are only human after all.
But maybe with the adoption of the PDA, Mobile Phone, laptop, ... Maybe it may yet happen. But they will have to get lighter and more portable.
In the meanwhile how about putting a little extra note on the footer of each email you send? Something that read likes this: Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail and/or attachment/s. It will raise awareness if nothing else.