Too much paper in my life?

I have a confession to make that won't impress my Planet Loving friends too much: I love PAPER.

I know, I know, we are all trying to live a greener life, eliminating as much paper from our daily life as possible. We have electronic books that can be read on an e-book reader (no need for paper books!), we have a tablet or a smart phone (or both!) where we can keep all of our appointments, take notes, send mail and store pictures (no need for any paper here!). We barely remember our friends' telephone numbers because we all have cell phones and all cell phones store their contact info - forget about the old address book we used to use! Invitations to a party? Yes, we still receive some in the mail, but the majority comes as an e-vite, an electronic invitation sent to us online! You save time, paper and the trip to the post office. So MUCH of our life can be done without any paper. We seem to be adapting pretty well, as smart phones become smarter and information doesn't simply flow anymore - it's instantly passed on. One click and you get it.

So, I'm here to tell you, however, that "some things will never change".

I don't buy e-books, and while I do have a tablet, I dislike reading a book electronically. Call me a book-nerd, but I like to make notes, fold the corners of pages, highlight important passages - the student for life in me can't seem to let that go.
I don't record any of my appointments electronically. I have an awesome, pretty (and pink) Day-Timer "Flavia" daily planner, with pretty paper and tons of space for me to record everything.
My daily to-do list travels with me physically, as I write it down in my calendar.
And I have an adorable Vera Bradley address book that brings me joy to fill! I love adding new addresses to it, and it wouldn't even look half as pretty had I stored everything in my phone or tablet. Not to mention the super nice address labels we can order left and right, right?

(my oh-so-pretty Vera Bradley address book I bought at Barnes & Noble!)

Some things will never change. Or will they? I recognize the utility of technology and understand the importance of cutting our paper consumption. I can't live without my phone. I love technology, but love the real deal as well. If I decide to travel, I see the issue: Carry ALL that with me, while I could pretty much just take my phone and my iPad? I have used e-vites in the past, but simply prefer the paper invitation sent and received in the mail. I love letters and postcards! But, we all can make emotional sacrifices that can have a bigger impact on our resources on Earth.

I'm willing to make an effort to become less of a paper dependent person. I am unsure how successful I will be at first, but it will be interesting to comment on this post 12 months from now and see what "improvements" have been made. Are you as much of a paper lover as I am?

For now, I'm not willing to give up my planner
, address book and books, but will try this:

Read magazines on my tablet instead of buying them all the time!
Send E-vites when necessary!
Record my To-Do list on my phone!
Turn ALL my bills to online bill paying (we have done that for half of our bills)!
Eliminate bank statements sent in the mail and go with online statements!
Skip the Christmas Family Picture Card (oh, wait! Don't know if I'm ready for this one yet!...)

Take it easy, right? One thing at a time!...I admire the all-tech-no-paper-ever-necessary folks!