Paperless makes headway

Companies find digital paper more efficient, secure, and economical than the tree-pulp-based variety, reports InfoWorld.

A paperless world is a long way off, but many businesses are taking strides to at least create a less-paper world. Companies across various industries are finding ways to cut paper waste, from issuing electronic tickets and PDF receipts to incorporating electronic document management systems.

One company advancing in the no-paper environment is Apple. The store allows people to have a receipt sent to them via e-mail, instead of being issued to them in paper form on the spot.

Farmers and traders can now make informed decisions on trading in agricultural commodities, following the emergence of a prompt market information service, reports AllAfrica.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has designed a Regional Food and Agricultural Marketing Information System (FAMIS), an electronic Web-based system that features key information on major agricultural commodities, trade and investment opportunities in the region.

The system is supposed to help farmers in member countries access relevant agriculture marketing information, reducing the information gap that middlemen exploit to make a windfall at the expense of producers.

New Zealand launched anti-spam legislation to join the international efforts to combat unsolicited electronic messages, mainly e-mail, reports China View.

Parliament passed the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 to enable the fight against New Zealand-sourced spam. The legislation takes effect following a six-month transition period to allow organisations to get their e-mail practices and database systems in order, said Communications Minister David Cunliffe.

The Department of Internal Affairs has established a unit to enforce the new law and is running nationwide seminars to prepare businesses for the law change and encourage good electronic marketing practice.