Before the digital era, everything was communicated via paper.
This inefficient and environmentally damaging process was the norm, and with no alternative we accepted this as the way it had to be.
Increasingly now we’re transitioning away from paper communication as people become adept at operating in a different way, and expectations for immediate and efficient communication grow, alongside environmental awareness. The transition is already underway, and with obvious benefits to our community how can we help it along, and help our school at the same time?
Digital talk is cheap. No paper, no printing, no postage. The average school spends between $30,000-$50,000 per year on paper alone. The cost of printing a weekly newsletter for 500 pupils clocks in at around $20,000 per year. Wouldn’t it be great to reallocate some of this budget into another area of school resources?
Businesses think so too. All around us initiatives to help phase out paper in business communication are well underway. Once huge paper communication giants, banks and other service providers now offer paperless bills and statements as a preferred form of communication, while some businesses such as Telstra actually charge for a paper bill as standard.
Schools are also taking baby steps towards a paperless world. Many schools have started using a communication app, and schools who use the School Stream app have completely phased out, or are working towards phasing out printed newsletters as communication via the app becomes the primary method of reaching parents. This is an obvious fit, with parents making up the largest demographic of smartphone users in Australia. School Stream even allows parents to sign absentee and permission slips via the app, further reducing the need for paper communication.
Try these initiatives to help phase out paper in your school:
- Get the School Stream app for your school and start communicating directly in real-time whilst saving time, money and the environment. Request a free demo.
- Pass on costs by making parents opt-in to keep receiving printed newsletters, and charging for this (they can also print it themselves from the app if they wish)
Change takes time, but there are things we can do to help things along and encourage our community to follow suit. Take a step in the right direction.
Discover more ways you can reduce paper usage in your school
