Some Of The Biggest Benefits Of Going Paperless

Julie Starr • May 20, 2020



When it comes to creating a more sustainable office, there are few steps are beneficial to the environment as going paperless. From taking that single step, you can cut out up to 60% of the waste produced by the average office environment. However, there are benefits well beyond the environmentally friendly nature of paperless business. Here, we’re going to look at other benefits and how they affect your bottom line, customer satisfaction, and more elements that can make or break your business.

It saves a lot of money

Aside from cutting down on your waste, going paperless also cuts down on your reliance on physical resources that can be, above all else, expensive. When your business runs on paper, it also runs on the need for printing technologies. As such, you need to purchase not only the paper, but the printer, ink, and toner. Furthermore, you are likely to purchase a scanner to make sure you have a digital backup of your most important files. All of this can be very costly and they’re not one time costs, either. You are even going to need to pay for printer and scanner maintenance, repair, or replacement, as some point down the line. While going paperless isn’t cost-free, due to the need for storage devices and (in most cases) Cloud backup, it tends to be a lot more cost-effective.

You can free up a lot of space in the office

Not only do you have to purchase all the resources for printing those documents, but when you have a lot of paper, you need to spend even more money on storage. However, that storage doesn’t only take up funding, it also takes up space in the office. Filing cabinets are far from small, too. The more paper you use, the more quickly you can eat up space in your office. Having more space freed up in the office can help you space out employee workspaces , allowing them to work more productively, to reduce accidents and injuries, and generally improve their satisfaction with how they work.

It can lead to more efficient communication

Paper has long been one of the most important tools in business communication. From mailing important letters to keeping documents internally, it was all done on paper not too long ago. However, by moving to digital alternatives, you can greatly improve how your business communicates. Document templates and signature management , for instance, can help you create a consistent, professional image that applies across the whole business. It’s also a lot easier to manage and organize an email inbox and to respond to customer queries and concerns a lot faster when you don’t have to worry about posting them. More efficient communication means fewer misunderstandings and greater collaboration in the workplace.

Secure your important documents

One of the benefits of not having all of your most important documents printed on paper is that they are harder to simply snatch from the office or to lose along the way. There are some risks, of course, with digital documents. However, by investing in cybersecurity measures like encrypting important data and backing them up on Cloud storage servers, you can make them much safer than they would be if they were kept in physical form. As such, you can make sure that important business and customer data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. When it does, it can lead to major financial, legal, and PR liability for the business. Invest in paperless storage alongside the right digital security and the chances of this happening to you will diminish tremendously.

It’s easier to organize

One of the security risks of going paperless is that important documents can simply get lost, even if no-one nefarious has taken them for their own ends. Even when you invest in organization and storage tools like filing cabinets, having too much paper will eventually make it nigh-impossible to keep track of all of the documents that you need. There’s a risk of losing track of digital files, of course. However, it’s much easier to organize and store them , and you can quickly find them by searching your hardware and Cloud storage for relevant terms, as well. This makes sure you can keep track of important documents and also reduces the time spent locating and fetching them when needed.

They allow for much more flexible work

Let’s consider the situation: you’re out of the office but you’re in the middle of talking to a client and you need a certain document with relevant information quickly. If you’re working in an office that relies mostly on paper, then you might have to drive into the office to retrieve that document or risk giving misinformation to the client, leading to potential problems down the line. If your office is paperless, however, then you’re more likely to be relying on Cloud document storage, which means you can simply go online, find the document that you need, and make sure the client gets the right information.

It’s good marketing

A lot of business owners will opt for more sustainable measures because they believe in them and they believe in their part in protecting the environment. However, there are also market motivations to go sustainable, as well. There is a growing portion of consumers that are much more concerned about doing business with those who reduce waste as much as possible. By making a commitment to sustainable work practices such as going paperless, and even publishing case studies on how your business has managed it, you can give your brand the kind of boost it needs to make a connection with customers. Fulfilling your social corporate responsibility can help you maintain your business reputation, leading to a stronger connection with your customers.

All of the benefits above can make the decision to go paperless all the more convincing. However, it’s important you keep the sustainability of it all in mind first and foremost. If you’re not committed to making the business a more environmentally friendly body, it’s easy to go back to bad habits.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.