Moving all US banking activity online would save 17 million trees and reduce greenhouse gases by four billion tons per year, according to Javelin Strategy & Research's "2007 Online Banking and Bill Payment: Trends, Forecasts, and Strategies for Reinvigorating Growth and Adoption" report.



Javelin suggested that banks could convert some online banking and bill payment holdouts by promoting environmental benefits. For instance, if all US households viewed and paid bills online, it would reduce fuel consumption by 26 million British thermal units, providing enough energy to power San Francisco for an entire year.

Over two-thirds of US households will bank online by 2012, up from 53% in 2007.

By 2012, 50 million households will pay bills at individual billing sites, up from 39 million in 2007.