First, understand why you print. You print because it feels real, like your email doesn’t matter until it’s dripping in toner and smudged on your thumb. Psychologists say we trust physical paper more than pixels—even though paper loves to give you paper cuts as thanks. Ironically, the average office worker still uses 10,000 sheets a year, most of which end up in the “to read” pile that becomes a squirrel nest. You are not a tree murderer; you’re just addicted to the satisfying thunk of the document feeder.
Here’s a surprise: printing one ream of paper uses about as much water as a 30-minute shower. That’s a lot of suds for a grocery list you’ll lose anyway. So take a moment. Close your eyes. Whisper, “I am bigger than the paper tray.” You’re not, but the placebo is nice.
