The image has the standard LD triangular banner in the top left. The content is split diagonally from top right to bottom left. The top left side of the image displays a logging operation and the denuded forest. The bottom right displays an office, which a large quantity of used coffee cups and stacked paperwork. An office worker behind a desk has their hand in the air as though they are drowning, to symbolise the excessive paperwork. The image is captioned "Save the Trees!", with a sub caption reading "Whatever happened to the paperless office?".

Save the trees!

John Kohl - 14 Mar 2024

Have you ever wondered what happened to the promised “Paperless Office”?


The digital age has dramatically changed how we do business. Tasks that used to require teams of admin staff, reams of paper, and hours of labour can now be performed by one person at a computer. Naturally, this increase in efficiency has led to more complex business operations, creating more paperwork with fewer people.


Considering that not all business operations are computerised, and that not every business uses software, it comes as no surprise that a large percentage of this deluge of documentation ends up being printed. Paradoxically, this has resulted in world-wide consumption of paper out-pacing population growth over the last 30 years!


In today’s heightened environmental consciousness, the impact of deforestation, pollution, habitat destruction, and carbon dioxide emissions caused by the paper production industry cannot be ignored. Reducing paper consumption is one step society can take on the path to sustainability – and is a step which not only benefits the environment, but also directly benefits businesses now.


Electronic databases combined with software to retrieve, manipulate, and analyse the data within provide unparalleled data security and accuracy. Errors can be detected and corrected at the source. Less consumption of paper and ink means less wear and tear on printers and copiers. The internet enables remote access, allowing virtual teams to cooperate just as effectively as in-office teams. These factors represent real monetary savings for businesses. The “paperless office” dreamed of in the early days of computerised businesses has not happened. While it may never be fully realised, there is still so much we can do to save time, energy, and money in an environmentally sustainable way.


As a software development company, we focus on filling the gaps in non-computerised business processes. Instead of trying to change your business to fit the software, we write software to fit your business. Over the last 30 years, we have helped businesses large and small in the transport industry, in manufacturing, veterinarians, training organisations, and more. It’s our mission to help our clients thrive, making the most of the technology available to better their business and also, in a small way, the world.