Paper Diary

I've been rather sporadic with my paper diary for the last few weeks. It's hard to find something new to write about keeping paper out of my life. So please excuse the big gap...

Day 15
Wednesday 11th March
I was in training today, a course on PR and media which was great. The usual sheet of paper and pen greeted me when I got in the door but I pushed it out of temptations way. I am getting slightly behind with taking the notes from my iPod but it still beats finding wadges of paper in the bottom of bags and in cars weeks or months later.

In the evening I went to a Speed Networking event, like speed dating but without the kissing! I have been allowing myself business cards during this fast which is just as well because speed networking is all about business cards. I met some great people and managed not to pick up any extra bits of paper during the evening. Maybe one day there will be some sort of virtual business card that we can just send by Bluetooth to someones PDA or iPhone but for now we’re going to have to stick to the physical type.

Day 16
Thursday 12th March
Today I started to follow some paperless office people on Twitter, a quick search for the term ‘paperless office’ turned up several results. I’ve found some interesting articles too through Twitter all of which have me wanting to explore more technological solutions to working without paper. I need to find out more about electronic signatures and how to use them.

Follow Feelgood Organic Hampers on Twitter
Follow Hamperlady (that's me!) on Twitter

Day 30
Thursday 26th of March
Feelgood Organic Hampers has decided to enter the Carlow Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, a process that involves much filling of application forms. Thankfully the Chamber sent us out email copies without us even having to ask so we have been able to submit our application without the use of paper. This is especially pertinant in this case as we are going for the 'Corporate Social Responsibility' award and part of our submission mentiones our lenten paper fast. I have found using the white wipe boards invaluable in this process. They are a great brainstorming tool and not as easy to loose as scraps of paper. You will see in my picture the amount of scrawling that was done!

My desk still remains resonably empty. I can't stress how much this has helped my productivity I don't think you realise how much clutter slows you down until you get rid of it.

Day 36
Wednesday 1st April
I am going to London to the Natural & Organic Products trade show this weekend. It's the show where I pretty much decide o which products I'm going to buy for the next season. This could be one of the biggest challenge yet. Flying without a paper boarding card is impossible. I have two options, check in online and print my own ticket or check in at the airport and get a boarding card printed there. I can't work out which is best or worst for the environment. I suppose if I print it at home at least it will be printed on 100% post consumer waste paper.

I always seem to come home from this show with bags and bags of paper, wherever you go there are people virtually throwing the stuff at you and sometimes you just take it in order to escape an over zealous salesperson. It's good to be going in with the strong resolution not to accept it this time. If there is a product I'm interested in I will make a note on my iPod and ask them to email me their marketing material. This will of course mean that my inbox will be jammed in the weeks following the show but when I bring home a bag of paper, the truth is I rarely look through it.