well it depends...recycling papers also contains hidden costs (in terms of electricity and carbon footprint):

- transporting old paper to the recycling facility
- the recycling process itself requires electricity
- you have to go to the nearest convenience store to buy your ream of paper/notepad, which may require you to use your car

Personally I'm not a fan of all-electronics (even if I really love computers and technology): sometimes papertrail has its own merit, and I don't really like reading a book (or an article, or anything requiring more than a 10 minutes read) off a screen. I still prefer the good old paper...

Concerning taking notes, I prefer pen and paper, even if my handwriting is horrible! This way I don't have to fear running out of battery and out of reach of an electric outlet...