Fed employees throw out millions of pages every day

Check it out: The Washington Times reports that a full third of the printing performed by U.S. government employees is instantly tossed out or recycled.

Raise your hand if you recall the tale of the $400 hammers, toilet seats, and ashtrays that were pressed into service during ‘80s. Though not really true (something to do with erroneous auditing methods), the story is permanently etched on ol' Doc's hard drive (as it is on the psyche of just about anyone who was reading newsprint in 1984). Point is, when it comes to government waste, this ain't news.

I'm sorry--I should be giving Federal workers a break--look what they've been through these past years. With the economy in tatters, the real question should be, "Why don't we just dye ALL the paper pink?"

But I digress. It is high time government (Hey, President Barack Obama) takes the lead from businesses that have their printing costs under control. How do they do it? Duplex printing is only part of the story. The businesses that aren't bleeding cash at the printer tend to give their people decent collaboration tools and make sure they know how to use them.

Listen up, Feds: If you want to reduce your printing costs, get your users asking these kinds of questions before they click 'Print':

• Is it vital that I have a hard copy of this right now?
• Have I run the electronic file by my colleagues first?
• Does the item I am about to print have to be "perfect"?

Look, I know it doesn't sound like much, but it IS a start. After all, change comes slow in Washington.