SAVE Award 2011 Ideas

As a researcher, I am required to keep abreast of the scientific literature. This means reading (and most likely printing) dozens, if not hundreds, of scientific manuscripts each and every year. Often, this also involves taking notes which also requires further paper usage.

To cut back on paper usage (and waste), all of which will need to be recycled (incurring an additional cost), I have switched to an electronic office.... more »

All documentation within our systems should be electronic, as it allows us to better manage, organize, store, transport and replicate information. We will save a lot, by implementing this initiative completely. With the production of large amounts of documentation there is a lot of overhead.

Agencies must supply not only the printers but all the parts to maintain them – along with service contracts and of course, paper.... more »

Stop printing The Internal Revenue Bulletin covert it to a PDF or email it to Employees. In my unit we get the Internal Revenue Bulletin every week. I do not need it for my job because I do not deal with advance tax law. My units Internal Revenue Manual which has a less changes then the bulletin is available on-line. It would also cut time into searching for tax law information.

Update: It is on-line at http://www.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/internalRevenueBulletins.html... more »

Eliminate IDRS CC TRPRT it is a waste of paper and time. I can not tell you how many times I have executed this command code and received a packet of information that I could get electronically.

Provide all federal employees that complete significant amounts of computer based research and writing with a dual monitor work station. I do most of my research and writing on my computer, but given the lack of screen real estate, end up printing my research materials so I can reference them quickly and easily while I draft documents. A dual monitor set up would allow me to leave research tasks on one screen, with... more »

There are about 4-8 office productivity and e-mail applications that all federal workers use pretty much every day. We all know the brand names, and we all get new versions ported to us IAW our Agency's/Component's software refresh cycle. BUT many/most users never receive any training on how to effectivley use the apps. So, much paper and time gets wasted as users "hunt & peck" for the right print-out format, or the... more »

Paper nautical charts are distributed to Coast Guard Cutters and other units on a regular basis by the Defense Logistics Agency. Many times these charts are not applicable to a unit's Area of Responsibility are discarded or placed in storage, never to be used. A large-scale review of chart distribution through the organization could save a significant amount of money in printing and shipping costs.

Everyday, DHS and private-bar attorneys file State Dept.-published human rights reports (20-100 pages each) before 235 immigration judges in 59 courts nationwide. These reports are updated annually, and because immigration cases can last a matter of years, often these reports are filed multiple times for the same case. The immigration courts should take judicial notice of these reports, so that they do not have to be... more »

i am new to the federal government, coming in I heard about how green we are and how we've been working hard to reduce the number of printers and the amount of paper we use. This is an outright pack of greenwash!

Since joining I have noticed that for every 6 cubes there is a printer! The office I left had one multi-function machine for 45 people, yet my new colleagues continue to go on and on about how much paper they... more »