Is a Paperless Future Realistic?

I'm not sure it will ever be possible to completely replace paper. The utility and inexpensive aspect may be too difficult to overcome. There are tablets that feel like paper - the Remarkable 2, Kindle Scribe, perhaps some Wacom tablets.. but they are all relatively expensive compared to paper. So.... maybe by 2040?

As log as the IRS exists, we will need paper - so forever!

I am find having as much paperless as possible. I am a big fan of auto pay and bills coming to email or text instead.

Certain legal documents and procedures still require paper. But most things, especially in education, having digital alternatives to paper

I think a lot or most information can be stored digitally. But I think paper will always have a place in currency or special documents like deeds or things like that. I also prefer physical books.

I think there is a need for both.  Just about everything now is digital but I don't think digital will ever completely replace paper.  I think people actually do need to know how to do things on paper.  I think kids need to learn to write on paper and I still believe in learning cursive, although it is my understanding that for the most part it's no longer being taught.  I like physical books better than digital and even though all of my bills are available on-line, I still prefer paper bills.  I keep them in the order in which they are due and I record payments in my checkbook even though I don't physically write checks to pay them.  I'm old school and that just works better for me.  If I rely on just digital copies of my bills to pay them, I tend to forget them.  I still send handwritten thank you notes when the need arises and I still mail birthday and holiday cards that I hand write.  What would hospitals do if their computers went down and they had to rely on physical hand written charts like those that were used in the past?  If they weren't able to write things down manually, they wouldn't be able to properly take care of patients.  Legal documents and court filings still need to be on paper.  Wills need to be on paper with actual signatures. People living in very rural areas don't always have Internet access and need to have access to things using paper.  Just a few examples of why I think both will always be needed,

Possible with the progression of e-ink technology and when it becomes mainstream hopefully the cost would come down.

For some things paperless works great. Electronic bill pay for example as well as many other documents.I nteractive education tools, email... and many other things. Although all that relies on having access to the internet.

But paper does have advantages. Many people, including myself, have an easier time studying from paper books because it is so much easier on the eyes. And paper books can also be a bigger format which is important when showing bigger illustrations, diagrams or whatever instead of having bits on a smaller screen. And actually handwriting yourself notes also helps with retention. And you can read books even if there is no electricity as long as there is some light.
And while GPS is great, larger paper maps have advantages as well because you can get an overview of a larger area instead of of being to see only smaller sections on a much smaller screen.

And finally, not everything can be done electronically. Toilet paper, for example is unlikely to be replaced by an Ipad.
That said, it is also perfectly possible to produce paper in more environmentally responsible ways than it is currently done most of the time. As in using oxygen to lighten/bleach the pulp instead of the toxic chemicals often used. And other pulp sources than trees can be used as well such as bamboo which is very fast growing, or cotton from recycled clothes.

I don’t think we will ever go completely paperless,it will be optional  depending on the personal interest of individuals.

One thing that not only works well paperless, but I think it even works better paperless than the old way is digital coupons and rebates. It's very convenient to just clip digital coupons compared to having to than save and then remember to bring old paper coupons or fill out and mail rebate forms. I can't remember the last time I ever used a paper coupon or rebate form. Seems everything is mostly digital now.