Information security, recycling and irony

[Fred]

On Thursday 02 February 2006 11:28, Christopher Chisholm wrote:
> I'm not sure I trust that site's assessment of recycling.  It's true
> that recycling creates pollution, and that's because it uses energy,
> just like everything else.  When you compare the total lifecycle energy
> cost of different materials, you find varying degrees of recycling
> success.  Some materials, like aluminum, are so energy intensive and
> environmentally destructive to "create" that's it's completely stupid
> NOT to recycle them.  Others, like certain plastics, are a bit harder to
> figure out.

What we need is new technologies to help us with recycling these various 
items. Plastics can sometimes be recycled into lower-grade products, but 
there is a limit to everything.

> As far as useful recycling of sensitive documents is concerned, I think
> we're going about it the wrong way.  The only way you can be certain
> confidential data is not released is if YOU destroy it.  You can't 100%
> trust throwing it out, or recycling/reusing it, because those involve
> transportation.  A year or two ago I saw a Discovery channel program on
> a plan for a new high-efficiency office building.  In the basement is a
> huge biodiesel generator which runs on a biodiesel sludge, which uses
> paper and other organic waste generated by the office as fuel.  What
> better way to ensure the total destruction of sensitive data?  You
> produce clean energy, totally destroy data ON-SITE, and offset your
> electricity costs.

Of course, if we *truly* go to the paperless office, this who recycling 
issues becomes moot.

It takes commitment to go truly paperless. Cisco did it; nearly all of their 
internal correspondences takes place on their internal websites, and that 
was back in 1999. So it can be done. And if a large firm like Cisco can pull 
it off, surely there is no excuse for smaller firms such as the Boston 
Globe. 

Though, there is a bit of irony in a Newspaper establishment being truly 
"paperless". ;-)

And I'm sure all the crap they probably have to deal with with regards to the 
unions probably doesn't help matters.  I think even the employees in the IT 
department at a publication establishment have to be unionized. Has a major 
impact on what you can pay for talent.

-Freedom Fred