The Paper Trail

Despite the threat and subsequent fantasy of the paperless office, today the paper trail could not be more important

The ‘paper trail’ start’s its life, as a plain and expectant sheet. Waiting for the first impression of a pen or an ink cartridge, and bursting into life with the first of either. The ‘paper trail’ as yet, has no idea of its future journey. However, once it has completed that journey, especially if it contains confidential or sensitive information, it must be disposed of carefully and ideally recycled. It may even become packaging.

Similarly, the cardboard box and plastic packaging that your latest delivery arrived in, also needs careful disposal. Failing to consider the implications of just throwing the waste into a bin or skip can harm both the environment and your pocket, especially as the restrictions and costs of landfill become ever greater.

Depending on it’s chosen function: an employee record, a telephone doodle, or a cardboard box, its life could be over in minutes, or it could last ten years.

But however long the ‘paper trail’, what you do with it, when its life is over, is now paramount. In fact, it should be at the top of the agenda. Both personally and professionally. Why?....