Patrons of the EMU Microcomputing Lab used 1.3 million sheets of paper in the 2001-02 school year — enough to cover 19 acres of farmland.
EMU lab attendant Amery Neuenschwander said he thinks that nearly half of that paper, which weighed more than seven tons, wound up in overflowing recycling bins. And even with all that extra paper laying around, Neuenschwander didn’t doodle, make paper airplanes or practice his origami; he was too busy turning the wasted paper into waiting lists for the hordes of students lined up to use the computers.
But now, long lines are shorter and lab recycling bins are nearly empty. EMU lab coordinator Amy McCoy said paper use in the EMU computer lab is down 28 percent — with 14,024 fewer users during fall 2002 than an average term last school year. The substantial reduction, McCoy said, was a direct result of a controversial 5-cent-per-page printing fee initiated fall term.
The fee, which is charged at McKenzie, EMU, Klamath and Millrace computer labs, began in an attempt to reduce mountains of wasted paper and associated printing costs.
“We’ve seen a decrease in the number of people in the lab, and we’re certainly saving paper,” McCoy said. “People have said, ‘It’s about time.’”
Before the fee was initiated, EMU computer lab patrons used 2,009 sheets of paper every day. But now, it seems, students understand the value of saving a nickel. Last term, EMU lab patrons used 940 sheets daily, a savings of 82 pounds per week.
Millrace lab attendant Mauri Castle said paper waste from printing has decreased in all computer labs on campus. Although initially upset when the fee was initiated last fall, Castle said she thinks the surcharge has been successful.
“They wanted to reduce paper waste, and that is exactly what happened,” Castle said.
By making students pay for what they use, it has made many reevaluate what they need, McCoy added.
“If anything, it has made people think. They’re asking themselves, ‘Do I really need this, or is this just a convenience?’” McCoy said.
Computing Center lab coordinator Mary Bradley said students printing in labs fall term paid $11,228 for printing, which equaled the University’s expenses for paper, toner and software. Bradley said the amount of money spent on fall term printing was half as much as what it was during the same time last year.
“It shows we’re charging the right amount because our revenue is matching our expenses,” Bradley said.
According to the Native Forest Network, more than 90 million tons of paper are consumed in the United States annually. Paper reduction in the EMU computer lab alone will save more than two tons a year.
But despite the decrease in wasted paper generated by computer labs, Environmental Resources and Recycling Program Manager Karyn Kaplan said demands on campus recycling have only grown. Kaplan said the increase might be because of a 15 percent increase in students in the past several years.
“Through waste reduction and recycling,” Kaplan said, “we’re keeping the dam from breaking.”