It’s time to get something off my chest: an idea that could protect entire forests, save millions – and get me fired.

What does paperless actually mean in today’s world? Despite increasingly living in a world where the electron is king – where even business cards are under threat – we still cling to our slivers of bleached, flattened wood pulp with an obsessive, needy love. We pretend that we’ve found an ingenious way to avoid turning pages, but after a while the flaws start to niggle and we revert back to our old, less sustainable ways.

And boy, do I know it. I work in a printing business during the daytime, servicing the needs of a nearby city and university. The latter is a big customer. And by big, I mean massive. Departmental teaching material, student photocopying – it’s endless.

I cannot convey to you how much paper we go through.

So my idea, then. It hinges around the surely undeniable fact that every modern student has (a) access to a computer, and (b) a mobile phone or digital camera (or phone-cameras, many of which now have 4-Megapixel+ resolutions).

And it’s very simple. Instead of photocopying, everyone takes photos.

Technologists can develop foldout A4-sized cameras specifically for academics to easily take snapshots of multiple pages. Students can apply for funding for these devices, along with eBook readers and more conventional camera equipment. Departments can produce all their reading material in a digital format, confident in the knowledge that everyone will be geared up to read it. And everyone will, because that will be the official line.

But – libraries will lose a lot of revenue. My workplace will probably go out of business. And they’ll blame me.

It’s a dilemma. What do you think?

Image: ssh

The other day I saw an advertisement for The Digital Recipe Reader. Kinda cool, as it has a 7″ touch screen, holds up to 2,500 recipes and not a single tree was hacked nor CO2 emission spent delivering cookbooks. Sold through Neiman Marcus, the ad said that owners have access to a gaggle of exclusive NM recipes in addition to the few hundred preloaded ones. The Reader also syncs to an online database that can be customized. Pretty nifty – this, too, can be yours for a mere $300. I did a little research to see if anyone had test-driven it and found a wonderfully snarky review on Wired.com. Writer Jose Fermoso had me laughing at the headline, which reads:

Digital Recipe Reader Copies iPhone UI, Scams Grandma

After a few paragraphs he goes on to say: “The problem is that [The Reader] is $100 more than the cheapest iPhone (8GB), which could easily serve as the main kitchen helper and access thousands of recipes online. (Did anyone say Epicurious?) The only apparent difference between the devices is that this one is ‘splash resistant,’ and of course, doesn’t make calls, play movies, or have hundreds of interesting other online applications, like the steak cooking timer.”

But as I gazed at the advertisement and saw the perfectly art-directed image of the reader, one thing became very clear: a simple recipe for spiced red lentil stew was displayed as an example of what a potential owner could expect. It was free. And delicious.

Spiced Red Lentil Stew
1 cup red lentils
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1 onion coarsely chipped
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I used 2 tablespoons)
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped parsley or cilantro (I had none)

Cover lentils with water in a bowl and stir. Drain, rinse, rinse and repeat until the water is clear. Place lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that develops on top (I had none). Reduce the heat and remaining ingredients. Partially cover and cook over low heat until the stew is thick and lentils are soft, 45-60 minutes. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.