A core component of Lean thinking is the reduction or elimination of waste. Waste is sometimes defined as anything beyond the bare minimum that's required to accomplish a task or goal.
For a long time, I've noticed that, when you print a news article from the web, you often get a page at the end that is pure waste.
OK, you could quibble with why we print web pages (calling that waste), but sometimes it's easier to read on paper or certainly easier to take with you on a plane. You probably recognize that last page that has only one line, such as a copyright statement or something you could have avoided printing altogether.
A software company, GreenPrint, finally has a solution to this problem. Their software works with your browser to help avoid those “orphan pages” as they're called. This saves paper, ink, and electricity. The software, unlike a lot of good stuff online, isn't free. But, I'm sure there is a good business case for spending $25 on software that will save supplies… which is good for your costs and for the environment. I can particularly see the savings that the enterprise version would bring. GreenPrint was featured in the WSJ today ($$).
How much paper do you waste in your office?
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