WhatTheyThink's Going Green has joined forces with Two Sides to help address the "perceptions" that paper destroys forests, that electronic media are "greener" than print and paper, and that recycling is the solution to all environmental ills. Toward this end, we are introducing this new weekly Fast Fact as part of the Going Green Digest.
According to a Harris Interactive report, less than 5% of individuals who receive electronic vs. print bills cited "helps environment" as the reason for doing so.
Why should you care?
The report,
"Understanding and Driving Electronic Bill Adoption" conducted for CheckFree Research, found that the basic convenience of an e-bill was far and away the top reason users preferred electronic billing. We don't dispute the timeliness and convenience of electronic billing, nor do we dispute the real reason billers are eager to push e-billing: "according to ESP Consulting, telecommunications companies can expect to save 45 percent per bill, while credit card companies save 37 percent when a paper bill is converted to an e-bill." It is disingenuous to cite a dubious reason for switching to e-billing, as it sends the incorrect message that print and paper are environmentally destructive per se.
For more Two Sides facts see
http://www.twosides.us/mythsandfact.
About Richard Romano
Richard Romano is Managing Editor of WhatTheyThink. He curates the Wide Format section on WhatTheyThink.com. He has been writing about the graphic communications industry for more than 25 years. He is the author or coauthor of more than half a dozen books on printing technology and business. His most recent book is “Beyond Paper: An Interactive Guide to Wide-Format and Specialty Printing.