Paper Paper Paper

In attempt to meet one of the items on my 2007 to do list, I have been actively working at coming up with a new filling system (thanks to a suggestion from one of my readers)... and along with the new filling system comes the need to purge my records from previous years. Since I have never purged any records, I had to start back at 2003... the year of my first full-time job.

I thought this task would be pretty easy... I would quickly scan through the records, toss what was no good, and file what was necessary for our income tax records (as you know the CRA requires you to keep records which pertain to your income tax return for 6 years... and everyone knows how important it is to follow the regulations outlined by the CRA... to avoid having PC show up on your doorstep unexpectedly!).

However, I couldn't just toss the old bills and documentation in the trash will all of our detailed information still on them.... no no no. So, I got out the shredder and began building a very large mountain of recyclable waste.

HONEST TO GOD.... I did this for two consecutive nights, and by the end I had filled 6 kitchen garbages FULL of shredded paper. Thank god today was garbage day... I made PC take the garbage to the curb last night, to avoid all the looks the neighbours would give us if he did it in the morning... as I am sure each of them would have been wondering if we use to work for ENRON, or if we were trying to cover up some government scandal!

This leads me to the meat and potatoes point of today's post... why is it that we utilize so much unnecessary paper in today's world?

In the case of bills, its ridiculous. I know that as a customer if I have to pay for a service, I want to see exactly what I am being charged for, and in order to record all of this info, it requires a lot of paper... but why can't businesses get more electronic, and send bills to their customers electronically, sans paper (... that is to those who want it! If you are my parents my Dad wants it electronically, but my Mom still wants the paper verison... however, that's a post for another day)!

I know the business world is trying to become more electronically efficient... but take for example TD VISA... each month I receive the bill electronically through e-post... but I also recieve a paper verison in the mail three days later. When I called to have the paper option removed from my account, they tell me that in the cardholder's agreement they are required by law to mail me a statement each month... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Every month when the bill comes, I flipped the bird to the envelope and curse the legal team who came up with the wise idea to put this regulation in the cardholder agreement. It is such a waste of paper.

Moreover... Bell Mobility (for corporate users) is another paper waster... they can't legally send our bill electronically because we fall under the corporate side things being government employees. They bill us each month, 10 pages long because our plan includes detailed billing... and by detailed they me every damn number you dialed in a month is on there, every text message you sent is on there, every time you farted is on there. They record everything... and I have asked them not to do this, but again, its part our preferred customer plan... which we are legally obligated to follow until the end of the contract.

THROW ME A FREAKIN BONE HERE... I am trying to help out the environment as much as I possible can on the paper side of things. I sign up for every electronic service going, I don't print my electronic bills unless I absolutely have to, and furthermore, I recycle every envelope, every notice, every piece of paper I can.... but I am still amazed at how much paper is being wasted in this world.

When will it end... ?

Now... go on with your day, if you haven't had time to read this post thoroughly... PRINT OUT A COPY and take it home for later.... KIDDING!