‘Change your Bill Type’ on Telkom eServices

In a post last month I was complaining that Telkom don't provide their users with an option to receive their bill electronically, apposed to the minimum of 3 A4 paper pages that they deliver via post every month.

Well I was very happy to discover, after logging into their eServices (Invoice Center) system on the weekend, that they've introduced this feature, which they list as "Change your Bill Type" under the "Accounts" menu.

If you choose to view your Telkom invoice online, an e-mail notification will be sent to you indicating that your invoice is available for you to view.

Giving their users the choice to reduce their carbon footprint is a huge win. Think of all the paper (trees) that could be saved and energy conserved if all of Telkom's users switched to this electronic bill delivery method. Not only will you be doing your bit for the environment, but you'll also never have to worry about keeping your postal address up to date. And all your invoices will be available for viewing with a few clicks.

If you're not already registered for eServices, I strongly suggest you do so. That way you have quick access to your payment history, can pay your invoices online and save on an extra trip to the local Pick 'n Pay or Post Office where, after paying your invoice, you'll receive even more paper waste in the form of receipts.

To make the transition easier, Telkom give you the option to receive both paper and electronic bills, until you're comfortable with dropping the paper.

And while I'm on this recent drive of green-living, take a look at The Carbon Cost of Christmas report:

An analysis of the carbon footprint of Christmas in the UK shows that consumption of items such as food, travel, lighting and gifts at Christmas produces as much as 650 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person - equal to 5.5% of the UK annual carbon footprint.

Download the full report (PDF).