Our existential war against climate change isn’t a single battle, or so we’re told. At the individual level, at least, it is incremental. We carpool; we turn the thermostat up or down; we plant more trees; and we use less paper. Every little bit helps. Here, then, is a modest proposal to eliminate just a little of the useless paper in our legal system.

When a lawyer takes a deposition in Connecticut, the court reporter asks her what kind of transcript she prefers. Some lawyers like a “full” transcript (with one transcript page on each printed page). Others prefer a “mini” (with four transcript pages on each printed page). Still others request an “E-Tran” (meaning a flexible electronic file instead of a hard copy).