Doesn’t anyone think of the trees?

I learnt recently that major supermarkets in other countries are installing check-out tills that will print on both sides of the receipt thus, in one stroke, cutting the amount of paper used in half and making a significant saving in felled trees, transport costs and – of course – money. 
One, large, single supermarket will save tens of thousands of euros each year. Good for the supermarket, good for the environment and good for the consumer.

I was therefore left bewildered today when paying electricity, water, sewage and refuse bills that instead of the old system of the bill being simply placed in a machine and printed with the receipt of money and the date I was handed an A4 sized sheet of paper for the receipt of each individual bill. The electricity was slightly better, at only size A5.

I will now have to staple all these receipts to the bills as proof of payment and store them.
In one simple move they have increased the amount  of paper I receive from them by 100 per cent.

Is it too much to ask that who ever brought in this new system might, in light of the current state of the planet’s ecosystems and finances perhaps sit down and have a little rethink or should I expect an advert for filing cabinets with my next bill?
 
Robert. G. Brew,
Paralimni

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