Powering up to cut down?

Environmental Studies class should give you an environmental conscious right? Ironically, I was wasting the most paper taking notes and printing out readings for that class. I print out a 15 page article simply to have the comfort of holding the reading and highlighting it to keep me engaged.

What happens to the pages on pages I print out? I read them once, and then file them away in a binder. How about my notebooks? I write in them and review them, then at the end of the year toss them. Needless to say, my paper consumption to fuel my education is not sustainable.

I always knew there was a way to stop the overuse of paper. I could recognize the change of going paperless. I never adopted this lifestyle because it involved leaving the comfort of something physical and LEARNING how to actually use technology.

I mean I’m not from the older generation, unaccustomed to technology. I grew up surrounded by computers, cell phones, and iPods, but admittedly I know very little about the  technology I use. There is so much untapped potential sitting in the technology I own.

My challenge is to utilize the technology I own to take notes and complete all readings without printing any paper. My challenge starts with my Envrionmental Studies class and my FYS class.

In the small time I took to peak around, I have found alternatives to purposes printed paper served. I learned there is a notepad Microsoft word, and get this, it is meant for note taking! I learned that I can highlight all my readings on Adobe Reader, and if I save them as documents I can file them into my Environmental studies folder! I also noticed I can take notes on what I read easily by putting the windows side by side!

Can my paper fix really be cured by the technology I already own… I will just have to wait and see!