In your work area :

Set up collection bins or boxes for used paper in your office and near copiers and printers.

Tell others what they can do to reduce paper.

If you are a supervisor a chair or head of a committee make many of the initiatives listed here a requirement.

Handouts and informative flyers are a killer. Maximize the use of the Internet. Get your people used to the idea that they can find the information online, create a habit, enforce the use of the internet. Tell supervisors and professors to tell their pears and students to go to the internet to get the information.

Electronic help :

Email and the internet is becoming a standard medium to communicate. It offers a great advantage over printed media; It's cheap and fast.

Use email to send memos and documents, or route memos to staff members rather than making a paper copy for each person.

Create a web page with documents and information instead of printed versions.

If you are a section leader or supervisor you can enforce the use of electronic versions, DO NOT accept printed materials if an electronic version serves the same purpose. Take the initiative to change a process so that it includes the use of electronic resources. Email programs allows you to recieve a confirmation message when the email is recieved.

Store copies of documents and emails in CD or in another backup media and not printed copies.

Use DIRECT DEPOSIT for your paycheck, scholarship payments, and other payments from Campus.

Use a Post-It program in your computer instead of real Post-It notes. MacOS computers already have a "post-it" program called Stickies. Windows users may download one of many free programs available:

- Post-it Software Notes Lite
- PostIt 1.04

Another cool option is to create your own "Post-It" notes from scrap and used paper. Finally reuse your post-it notes, there is always room for more.

If you have forms, you can create a web version that can be filled online and send to an email address. The Web Development Team has a tool to allow you create a web form. You may also contact the WDT to recieve your very own training on how to use this tool. For more information visit the WDT webpage.

The portal "My UPRM" also offers great tools to help you reduce at the office. For starters it offers an email account for every student, professors and employees. Second it has a great calendar tool that allows you to share a calendar with other uprm users. Professor can even create a calendar for theirs courses with ease. You have an online disk to store and share files, plus forums and groups. Also every professor has an account in UPRM that allows them to publish their own webpages.

Instead of printing copies buy a USB "Flash Disk" or "Pen Drive". A Pen Drive is like a small floppy disk. They are as small as a keychain. You can use them in most computer. They are sturdy and very handy. They offer a much greater capacity than floppies plus they don't get corrupted as floppies do. You can buy one in stores like KMart, Wal-Mart, OfficeMax and Comp-USA.

Use alternatives to fax cover pages such as a "sticky note" or mini fax post-it notes on the document, or a multiple "to/from" sheet. The best idea is to use a pre printed transparent sheet where you fill in the blanks with a dry-erase marker. New fax machines are capable of printing the identity of the sender, recipient and number of pages.

Make electonic versions of your forms and documents either as fillable forms (see "Electronic Help") or as PDF, or HTML documents. Keep these documents accessible to prevent unnecessary copies and making duplicates of the wrong version.

You can setup a form/document repository for your office using "My UPRM" or using the web space provided in your UPRM.EDU account or your office account. If you do not have a UPRM.EDU account for your office or organization you may request one by visiting the Campus Computer Center at Monzon 101. The WDT can provide you we free training and information on how to implement a central repository for documents and forms. Electronic copies and archieves allow for efficient storage and retrieval of documents.

(Do you know that electronic copies and electonic archives carry the same Legal strength in most cases.)

Make copies of forms as needed instead of large badges at one time. Frequently important forms change and become outaded quickly and they end up being discarded.

Preview documents before printing...

Use the other side of the paper. Make photocopies and printouts double-sided. Re-use used paper, print or write on the other side.

Purchase paper and other items with recycled content (preferably post-consumer) rather than those made from virgin materials. Here is a quick list of recycle paper suppliers:

Georgia Pacific Recycled Papers Guide
Georgia Pacific GeoCycle Paper (20%-30%)
Georgia Pacific Eureka (50%-100%)
Xerox Multipurpose Recycle Paper (List)

You have a very important presentation and you want to be the best but do you know that just a few changes to your presentation could make a big difference.

Make sure you complete your presentation, then we will make a copy or duplicate to hand out to your public. We will make a few changes to this presentation to reduce the paper requirements of your printouts.

- Some times is better to handout the outline and notes instead of the actual presentation.

- Crop and size pictures, photos and charts to maximize the use of space.

- Remove title slides from your presentation.

- Use a smaller font and arrange the content as needed.

- Rearrange content as possible to eliminate extra slices.

When printing your presentation, print in both sides of the paper. Print a copy only for the people that really need one.

Make a copy available online for people.

When possible accept work/projects in an electronic medium.

Use a webpage to distrubute information.

Tell students to put their name, student number, and class information on the header of the first page and NOT to print an extra cover page.

Encourage the use of paper clips, staples and NOT BINDERS or FOLDERS.

Allow / Encourage students to turn-in work in used paper (printing on the other side).

Encourage students to buy recycled paper.

Communicate with others (and students) by email.

"My UPRM" is a great tool for class. First every student and professor has an account. Using My UPRM in your courses is easy. From My UPRM you can create a group for your classes with one single click. With the group you have a Calendar, a Forum, a Shared Folder and your class page and more. Students access your group with ease no need to add students by hand. You can download your class roster in Excel Format ready for use. You can request a personal or group training from the WDT (Web Development Team). They will help you setup your courses and learn to use them in minutes.

Send metting agendas and minutes by email.

Send memorandums/announcements to staff by email.

Reuse binders and manilla folders.

When buying a printer:

- Buy a network printer, instead of many small printers, a laser printer is more cost effective than ink-jets.

- Make sure is capable of Duplexing. (printing in both sides)

- That is energy efficient. Meets Energy Start requiments.

Set double-side to default in your printer. Print using "Duplexing" that is printing in both sides.

Set up a box to collect bad prints and old documents. Fill a printer or copier tray with used paper to print draft and other on the unused side. Reuse old paper with your fax machine most times the fax is for your personal or internal use.

When making copies reduce the image to fit more in a page. Many software also allows you to reduce the size of your printing job. This is a good idea for drafts and internal copies.