The NOAA Goes Paperless

 

In the past, we've discussed federal and state governments making pushes to go paperless. Now, we can add anwill stop producing paper nautother agency to the list of those making a push for greener operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will stop producing nautical charts in April 2014.

         

                                                      Vintage nautical map of Boston Harbor

 

Each year, about 60,000 lithographic paper maps are sold by the NOAA; however, the administration believes that many of these are used as ceremonial or decorative items instead for actual navigation in many cases. Most ships now prefer the use of the digital versions of the nautical maps released by the agency.

 

Since each map measures 4-feet by 3-feet in size, the paper savings from this move to all digital mapping will save at least 720,000 square feet of paper, enough paper to cover the floor of the White House more than 13 times. Although some are disappointed at not being able to purchase the charts on an annual basis, there's no question that this new policy will be a change for the greener.

 

                              

 

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