Why were you printing them in the first place?

I just have one question regarding this article about the hip, trendy, environmentally-conscious email sig making the rounds these days:

Stephanie Fessler doesn't drive a hybrid car, compost her orange peels or bring her own reusable cloth bags to the supermarket.

But two months ago, Fessler joined countless other business people in doing one environmental good deed daily. At the bottom of every e-mail she sends, she includes this message: "Save Trees. Print only when necessary."

"This is something I can contribute in my crazy busy life," said Fessler, 29, who works for a Los Angeles public relations company. "It reminds other people about environmental awareness and reminds me on a daily basis."

The trend took off last March, when the environmental Web site www.TreeHugger.com encouraged readers to add the don't-print plea to their automatic e-mail signatures.

Since then, the message has spread beyond the granola-and-Birkenstock crowd to the cubicle armies of corporate America. Architects, airline employees and even button-down accountants have gotten in on the act, as have companies such as media giant News Corp.

The parent of Fox Television offers employees a catchy admonition that riffs on the company's "Cool Change" environmental initiative: "Be cool, consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to."

My question is why were any of these people in the habit of printing emails in the first place? Seriously, what purpose does that serve? I understand there may be job functions that require printing emails for legal or other business reasons, but as this campaign is clearly aimed at those who choose to print emails, I have to ask, why in the world are you doing that? I truly don't understand.

Look, I've had corporate email in one form or another for almost 15 years. I think in all that time, I've printed maybe 100 or so of them. Mostly it's stuff related to travel - confirmation emails for conferences, classes, hotels, flights, that sort of thing. Once in awhile I get directions from someone, and I print those to bring in the car with me. The very occasional receipt for expense accounting. Beyond that sort of thing, I've never felt the urge to print, and can't imagine why anyone else would.

So please, help me understand. Why do you print emails? What purpose does it serve? Or is it just an old habit you've not broken? Might this campaign have an effect on you? Help me to get it, because I just don't. Thanks.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 25, 2007 to Technology, science, and math