Too much energy

I was asked yesterday about my use of a cross-cut shredder to chop up scrap paper and junk mail.

"Why are you burning up electrical energy instead of ripping the paper by hand while sitting in front of the television?", my questioner continued.

The answer is simple: I don't watch TV; I read books.

The electricity I don't use watching TV is not matched by the occasional use of my shredder.