Save a forest
Feb 4th, 2005 by Leimamo
In the past two days I’ve started cleaning out my files. I was amazed at how many copies of documents I’ve had filed away in different folders. Most of us know that every office you visit on base require certain documents, sometimes they even require a few copies of each document. This is what has happened over the years.
Whenever Meg decides to change jobs, the Human Resource Office requires that she submit the same documents that they already have in her file. It makes no sense to me. It’s not like she’s applying at different HROs, it’s all done at the same place. If they took some time to locate her employee file, they’d see that they have at least 3 copies of everything. But whenever she applies for a different position, she can never remember where she put the folder with extra copies so she ends up making more copies and files it somewhere in the drawer. Well, I decided to clean out the file cabinet to reduce some of the weight and bulk. It was then that I realized that Meg wasn’t the only one who made outrageous amounts of copies of things. Hubby has too and to be fair, so have I. I was telling my chat friend about this and she laughed and said she knows too well since she works for the SSA in Arizona. The government always want three copies of everything in triplicate!
I had two or three copies of complete job application packets that included maybe 10 or more pages. I found numerous copies of things that are so outdated. I’m half way done, that is, the desk drawer is done and so it the shelf above the desk. I still have another full drawer in the file cabinet to go through. We have my hubby’s pay stub from 28 years ago, when he first enlisted. I don’t know why he thinks we should save them except for us to look at and wonder how on earth we supported 2 children (at that time) on his E-2 pay of a whopping $613.00 per month!
Well, today I sent hubby off with a stack of paper to shred with their industrial strength super shredder and hopefully, they’ll recycle the paper and save a forest with what I’ve contributed.
Your friendly neighborhood Treehugger.
