Planet RIM: Join Team Green by Pamela C. Barker

You may not think of records management as a path to protecting the environment. But in fact, the way your company handles paper can surely benefit this planet we call home. We're talking about organizing, consolidating, converting and securely destroying paper records, as well as storing them offsite. Do it right, and you'll pare down the volume of paper your company generates and stores. You'll also use less energy and commit to a reliable and consistent recycling program.

It's no surprise: This continent is overloaded with paper waste. Our landfills are overflowing and our fuel consumption is off the charts. Unfortunately, we can't ask Superman to reverse Earth's rotation and turn back time to undo the damage done. But you can mitigate the damage by using records and information management (RIM) as a platform for becoming a better environmental steward.

But first, you'll need a partner to help incorporate smart, environmentally focused initiatives into your organization's information management strategy. Clearly, that partner must offer the records management services you're looking for-offsite storage, consolidation, digital conversion and shredding. Another requirement: The partner should be just as green as your company-or greener. It should demonstrate its commitment to reducing its own footprint by:

Practicing responsible shredding, disposal and recycling. Your third party vendor must shred and dispose of records according to the highest recycling standards. The storage boxes, bins and consoles it uses must be made primarily of recycled materials.

Holding facilities to green standards. Your partner should follow the most stringent environmental regulations and standards specified by federal and state authorities. In its storage facilities, for example, the lighting systems should have the most efficient components. The partner must recycle lamps, bulbs and batteries wherever possible, and teach employees how to optimize energy use.

Eco-friendly transport. For the trucks carrying records for storage or shredding, topnotch security is a given. Reducing the fleet's environmental impact is just as important. Your partner should have already upgraded to the latest emissions technology, and optimized hauling capacities to shave miles off its logs. Strategic route improvements can reduce the number of trucks needed and cut fuel consumption.

Iron Mountain is committed to environmental stewardship for our customers and ourselves. We're constantly looking for new ways to consume less energy and cut through the paper trail. In 2011, Iron Mountain was the largest provider of recycled paper in North America. In 2010, we were named to InfoWorld's Green 15 list. We've offset the use of more than 1.3 million cubic yards of landfill and conserved more than 1.8 billion KW hours of electricity. We've also saved at least seven million trees and partnered with waste-to-energy providers to generate renewable energy that powers homes.

Together we can devise and carry out effective, money-saving RIM solutions designed to meet your company's sustainability goals-and protect the planet.

LINK:	http://blogs.ironmountain.com/2014/uncategorized/planet-rim-join-team-...
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