Paper Cuts: Simple Steps to Reduce Paper Use
04/28/06
Dear Friends:
Thank you for using less paper. In 2003, we used 73.9 million
sheets - an amount when stacked, that would be10,000 feet taller than Mt.
Rainier. The good news is that this number is going down. To address our environmental
and social goals, in February, 2005, I issued an Executive Order which directs
city departments to reduce paper use 30% by the end of 2006.
Congratulations! Thanks to your efforts, we achieved a 12% reduction citywide
in only 9 months. We saved more than 12,000 reams (6 million sheets) of paper.
To help you visualize this, imagine a stack of paper as tall as three and
a half space needles (605 feet). We also can feel good about the associated
environmental benefits. They include saving enough energy to power 7 houses
and eliminating the need to use 518 trees for paper.
Many of you have made the commitment to reduce. But there is still much more
we can do to prevent paper waste. I am counting on every city employee to
take this goal seriously. We can all do our part to print and copy less.
These simple steps will reduce paper use:
• Please be thoughtful about what you print or copy. Do you really need
a hard copy? Are you double-siding?
• Be conservative when you order paper supplies - budget carefully to meet
the reduction goal.
• Take advantage of electronic and non-paper alternatives to circulate
and save documents.
• Adopt the “Green Meeting” approach.
With your participation, I know we can achieve our goal. Thank you for your
enthusiasm and willingness to change.
Sincerely,
GREG NICKELS
Mayor
P.S. For additional ideas, visit the PaperCuts
website at www.seattle.gov/papercuts.
If you have a suggestion on how to efficiently reduce paper use, please
share it. You can email tips and success stories to Jetta
Antonakos, a
lead on the PaperCuts Steering Committee.
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