(Sixth in a series of reflections relating to sustainable properties.)

The story of the human race’s attempts to eliminate paper products from our offices is a surprisingly interesting and rich one. No really. It won’t be made into one this summer’s blockbusters, but based on what was released at the theater last summer, this is probably a good thing.

Considering that about 4 billion trees are cut down each year to provide the globe with paper and that we now live in a digital world with an abundance of storage space and computing power, it doesn’t seem a stretch in common sense to see the primary advantage of going paperless.

I can see why the Chinese invented paper in the second century B.C. Hauling around those stone tablets and animal hide scrolls must have been a real bear (pun intended, groan). Paper was a revolutionary invention at the time and is considered one of the Four Great Inventions. (I’d never heard of this phrase either; interestingly, compass, gunpowder and printing round out the top four.) The invention of the printing press (circa 1440) and later the typewriter (1860s) and the Industrial Revolution itself created a huge need and demand for paper. No doubt the ability to put records and transactions on paper was a giant leap forward for business and society. A certain irony emerged as we proceeded in the Information Age and personal computers proliferated. Due to home offices and printing devices paper usage actually doubled from 1980 to 1995. Some analysts believe we are today on the cusp of achieving the paperless office originally envisioned as early as the 1970s, mostly because of wireless communication advances and cloud computing.

What some offices don’t know is just how many hidden costs there are associated with paper, aside from the obvious directs costs incurred. Take a look at your day to day operations and see if you spot any of these:

• It’s not uncommon for papers to get filed incorrectly or just plain lost, resulting in lack of bill payment or rework in order to re-process.
• Reduced access to information is an inherent characteristic of paper. Individuals in an organization have to be co-located in order to access the documentation, rather than storing it in a digital space that can be networked.
• Performing business transactions with paper tends to beget more paper, particularly with regard to the amount of paper mail coming in to the office. More mail transactions mean paying the associated delivery costs.

Lodgepole property management software was designed to address these potential pratfalls. It offers a solution to reduce paper in the office. Current users are enjoying the peace of mind that comes with running a cost effective, environmentally forward thinking camp.

The Lodgepole team is committed to helping you make your property the very best and most successful it can be. We endeavor on a daily basis to provide a product and service that allows you to operate a safe and efficient organization, which is especially important at this time of the year. Spring season is in full swing and here in Southern California there is a notable intensity and energy to the wildlife. Birds, lizards and a very fat brown field mouse (that apparently had a very successful winter) were all spotted this morning on this property, all keeping very busy with their spring activities.

Happy camping and best wishes in your work as many of you prepare for the summer!

– Eric Stromberg, Lodgepole Business Developer, eric@callippe.com

“The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today’s work superbly well.” – Sir William Osler