Group Lobbies to Restore America's Paper Trail - East Idaho News
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Group Lobbies to Restore America’s Paper Trail

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Thinkstock 021814 StackOfPaper?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1392719915472Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — As more and more people communicate and do business digitally, the need for paper continues to wane.

However, a group calling itself Consumers for Paper Options is lobbying congressional lawmakers to slow down the move towards a paperless-society.

Hardly a fly-by-night organization, Consumers for Paper Options was set up by the powerful Envelope Manufacturers Association and gets financial backing from leading paper makers and trade groups, which obviously all have a stake in preserving paper, particularly in Washington, D.C.

It estimated that the overall demand for paper products has fallen as much as five percent on average during each of the past five years. Less paper costs jobs, which closes down mills.

By making the case that about 45 percent of seniors do not own computers, Consumers for Paper Options was able to convince Congress to restart paper delivery of annual Social Security earnings statements to 150 million Americans who will eventually join the ranks of millions of other retirees.

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