Last Thursday 27th was the World's paper free day. I am not too sure it was celebrated widely enough. I think it’s an issue that should receive much media attention than it presently is receiving. At least this would make people more aware of the issues surrounding it if only for one day. The rate at which printing and photocopies are carried out in offices is alarming.
We are still very far from a paper-free world even though it is an eventual occurrence maybe not in this our generation, but it will definitely happen.
I could imagine the joy and the thoughts that so many issues would be solved when paper was invented many decades ago but it’s now become a burden on the general well-being of the planet and we are struggling to dispense with it! Thank God for recycling that is helping a little. I enjoyed this demonstration of paper recycling at the ‘Paper University’
We have really evolved in dispensing with the use of papers in offices in so many ways. Fewer letters are written and posted now that there are better, faster and cheaper options in emails and SMS, IM etc. Meeting notes are taken on laptops and Ipads and so many Web 2.0 applications are now being used to facilitate information storage, sharing and applications.
However, we are making too much fuss over printing and copying and we neglect other areas where papers and paper products are used. There are myriads of things papers are used for and their wastages are not emphasized. Afterall a lot of efforts are made to recycle office papers as much as possible, what about others we can't recycle.
I think we should emphasize more on the World nylon/plastic free day as these are causing a great hazard to our environment especially in developing Nations where recycling is still to be developed.
The question now is, can we dispense with toilet tissue in the same way we are trying to dispense with office papers? The Western world would be alarmed if offered the alternative of squatting rather than using toilet paper. Squatting is using water and your hand to do the serious cleaning business which on the long run is economical, eco-friendly and more hygienic, afterall nothing cleans better than water. I can imagine the loads of controversies and discussions that would be generated in the media on this. Here is an interesting write-up on Toilet papers :Our love affair with toilet paper.
To cap it, here are two websites showing some interesting facts and figures on paper wastages.paperfacts and wastefacts
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