Most college students in a new nationwide research study rank themselves as environmentally conscious and two-thirds believe going paperless helps the environment, but they draw the line at electronic copies for key documents – especially when it comes to college diplomas.
The poll, conducted by Eric Mower and Associates and commissioned by Domtar, found that while college juniors and seniors believe going paperless helps the environment, fewer than 30 percent would give up printed books, magazines and newspapers, photos or official documents.
Nearly 70 percent said the idea of receiving an electronic copy of their diplomas either bothered them or they considered it so terrible that they hated it. Only four percent of the respondents said they would “love” the idea of a paperless college diploma at graduation.
“This is hardly a superfluous scrap of paper,” one of the respondents said. “Doggone it, I’ve worked my butt off in school, and I want a piece of paper on my wall to prove it.”
