By cutting back on paper use, Montgomery County has saved $6.3 million in the last two fiscal years — $3 million in fiscal 2010 and $3.3 million in fiscal 2011 — cutting paper-related spending in half.
Started by County Executive Ike Leggett, the project has saved 3.8 million trees, according to CountyStat, the county’s data-collecting arm, and cut about 11,700 garbage trucks’ worth of trash by reducing paper use by 22 percent in fiscal 2010 and 39 percent in fiscal 11.
“The challenging budget situation Montgomery County has faced for several years has forced us to rethink many of the ways in which the government does business,” Leggett said. “In many instances, this has been a good thing, leading to increased efficiencies in our operations.”
Some of the changes have resulted from moving forms online. In addition, the Department of General Services now buys all of the county’s paper, making sure that the county get the cheapest rate and use 50-percent recycled paper.
