Paperless day 2011
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi
When did it all start ?
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In 2008 – When EAD partnered with ADGAS for the paper less day to
commemorate the world environment day
In 2009 – 12 entities from government and private sector participated and
helped save nearly 2 trees and 157 kgs of CO2
EAD committed to observing the paper less day involving many more
entities In most of the 12 entities who participated paper less day was the
beginning of a totally new culture. Paper less day got linked with Green IT
In 2010 – over 200 organizations participated and 4290kg of CO2
emissions were reduced.
Now all organization have adapted to using recycled paper for office use ,
in addition to having new printers which keeps record of all printing and
thus enable organization to identify areas of excesses to be able to reduce
A simple and effective campaign
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2010 Paperless day through the web site .
Over 120,000 people already registered for participation
Over 200 organization
Paper-less day = saving energy water+ trees+ species + habitat
Simple and can be easily done
There is a concrete deliverable at the end of the day
When we save each ream of paper , we aid in 12-13 pounds of
carbon sequestration
Climate change and vanishing biodiversity issues
• Well aware of perils of CC
• This year has been declared as the international year of
biodiversity.
• Campaign to plant for the planet is on- one billion tree to be
planted
• Paper less day is about preventing the existing trees from
being cut .
Objectives of the Paperless Day
• To reduce carbon emissions produced through excessive use of paper
which contributes to climate change.
• To help reduce and optimize the consumption of water and energy needed
to produce paper.
• To help save forests.
• To evaluate the paper saved in terms of trees saved.
• To reduce the usage of paper amongst people.
• To move from 'raising awareness' to 'action' and help make a positive
change in people's attitude and behavior towards paper consumption.
Why Paper?
• One of the world’s major polluting industry
• Largest contributor to Green House Gases
(GHG)
• Approx 900 million trees cut down annually
• US EPA studies show paper constitutes 40% of
our waste stream
• Record keeping accounts for 90% of office
activity
• 80% filed documents are never referenced
back
• 45% printed are discarded same day
Paperless office a myth?
• Paperless office concept has been around since the 70’s and meant the
future office with automation and all
• Introduction of automation and Pc’s actually increased paper use.
• Moving towards a Paperless office is a complex concept encompassing
Issues of technology, management change, how people process data, work
process/culture needs to be addressed.
• Studies in US show usage of 3.7 million tons of copy paper – approx 700
billion sheets
• Xerox study shows in the US an average office worker prints approximately
10 - 12K sheets annually
“A Day Without Paper”
1) Applies to internal communication only
2) Just a day which aims at looking inwards at non
essential use of papers in the office.
3) This is not an attempt to change existing policies
4) All non-essential printing and copying would cease
“A Day Without Paper”
5) All external communication/essential printing to continue
unaffected (such as LPO, Cheques, etc)
6) Papers will not be available in printers/copiers
7) Paper are made available through designated focal points
after citing reason/s
8) Celebrate with an event – A forum for sharing how do we feel
about such a day
9) Also to Seek commitments – Tokens of appreciations
10) All use is measured/reported
Your organization’s commitment
1. Blessing from the management
2. A team of dedicated staff
3. Efficient coordinator to collaborate with all other organization
with the same purpose.
4. BY now hopefully established a Baseline – Qty of paper
consumed
5. Committed to welcome honest feedback and suggestions after
the event from employees for any future and long term action
How can you be a part ?
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Help Build the momentum….spread the message to all, do the same at
home.
Ensure that in all your Internal communication – you think of ingenuous
ways to reduce paper use. (as much as possible)
Be aware that your organizing team has taken off all Papers from
photocopiers/printers (or IT disable printing) (Communication…)
It is your part to ensure that NO unnecessary printing/copying occurs
Try as far as possible that any printing that does occur is double sided
Be aware and do contact your focal points from whom papers can be taken
after citing reasons for any essential use.
Remember we all can celebrate success only when we keep our logs of
papers disbursed
Team Functions
• Created an email or a system to log in request
for non essential use of paper
• Created an online form/email for collecting
feedback/suggestions
After the today……
• Collate all the Lessons learned from all
organization to be published and shared
with the rest of the world .
• Look at ways in which this experience
can be enriched and enhanced for the
next round.
• Continuous process of improvement
• Come let us take this forward to the
world
Be the change that you want to see all around you
Let us start a Global Movement
Do not Underestimate the Power that you have to
change the world
Reporting !
• All entities report on average paper use /day in their office
and the Papers saved on the Paperless Day.
• The papers saved will automatically be translated in terms of
CO2 emissions saved .
• Last date for uploading all reports including photographs , if
any, will be 30th November.
• The success of the campaign depends on the reporting on the
papers saved .
• Separate meeting will be held in early January 2012 and
success of the Paperless Day will be shared with one and all .
Final date will be informed to all
Thank you
Yours truly
Paperless Day Team
Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi