Paper here, Paper There, Paper Everywhere...!!

Just yesterday, I was at an HR class, and with my attention spanning just about one nanosecond, my mind drifted off to E.T. Land as usual. But for one moment, it just returned to the planet of the humans for a second and stayed there, because of the gravitational pull of one single thought that kept lurking in my head. I was wondering about paper and printing- sure, you think I'm nuts? Let me explain the whole matter that was of great concern to me yesterday, in the middle of a class.
Here, in most places in Qatar, workplaces and educational institutions alike, we are allowed to print free of any cost. It might sound a little unbelievable to some of you, but yes, what you just read was true, indeedy!! I was never really much of an environment conservationist, but I was just going over in my head about how much paper I use up when I use the printer. I've almost become addicted to printing. It's almost like I cannot leave a computer lab without printing anything. lol. Obsessive-compulsive disorder?? OMG!!
E-books, Powerpoint handouts, class notes- all of those take up so much paper, and I'm only one of the so many millions who prints on so much paper. There are so many people all over the globe who use so much paper everyday, especially in workplaces and other organizations, in houses all over the world, at schools -notebooks and textbooks, regular books that people buy from bookstores, and the list just goes on into the darkness of eternity.
Am I getting a little protective about the environment here as I feel a little guilty printing e-books out as there are so many copies of the actual copies of these books in bookstores and libraries all over the world and here I am, wasting paper, printing them all over again, in the effort to save a few bucks. I'm not sure if my actions are justified- to a debating society, they will and will not at the same time. But, that's the ultimate question- is it fair to use up so much paper, and do we really need all that much of it? Recycling is definitely an option, but how many of us would actually prefer to use recycled paper instead of fresh, nice, soft paper? Is money really our priority or is it the future of our precious planet we are more concerned about? In a few years, would you want to see yourself on top of a beautiful snow-covered mountain or in the middle of a barren land without any trees, and surviving with an oxygen mask inside your own home?