Over the last decades, many offices worldwide have become environmentally friendly, reducing electric costs and carbon footprints. However, some work spaces still rely on printed documents to manage daily operations. While turning a business 100% green requires time, effort, and dedication, there are many easy practices office members can adopt to contribute to a greener office.
In this article, you’ll discover the best printing practices many offices employ to reduce their environmental impact.
Why Going Green Makes Sense
Many businesses around the world are adjusting their daily printing tasks to be more environmentally friendly, such as digital documents and storage drives. But for many reasons, it’s going to take more time for printing to become entirely eco-friendly. Here are some of the main reasons why printing processes must go green.
- Pollution related to cartridges. Cartridges are made with metal components and durable plastic to withstand intense printing processes. While printing may have low carbon emissions, manufacturing cartridges produce about 10.6 pounds of CO2 per year. Additionally, you must consider the amount of waste that 375 million cartridges manufactured per year produce.
- Paper waste. Plastic consumption was recognized as a problem many years ago, forcing companies to look for greener alternatives. Paper waste, on the other hand, is yet to be identified and addressed as a conflict. In 2015 alone, America produced 68.1 tons of paper waste.
Best Green Printing Practices
Reducing the number of printed items is one of the best practices for creating an environmentally friendly workspace. But there are other alternatives that will help you reduce your carbon footprint while letting you meet your printing goals. Here are some of the best practices.
- Use recycled and refilled cartridges and ink to reduce the pollution created by the cartridge manufacturing process.
- Advertise environmental initiatives in your workplace, such as volunteering and tree planting.
- Encourage the use of electronic devices to disseminate information to reduce paper use significantly.
- Ensure your office equipment is Energy-Star certified. These devices are designed to reduce electricity usage.
- All-in-one printers are multifunction devices for printing, scanning, copying, and faxing. These printers are an excellent and cost-effective alternative to having one device for each office task.
- Encourage electronic exchange of files instead of physical documents.
- Double-sided printing and small margins will reduce paper usage. If you still have printing needs you can’t replace with digital files, change the setting of your printer to reduce paper and ink use to the minimum.
Many companies worldwide find it nearly impossible to stop printing processes altogether overnight, considering the necessity of exchanging physical documents during daily operations. For that reason, the process may start slow and be sustained over time. However, creating a green culture will encourage office members to engage with environmentally friendly printing alternatives.
Eco-Friendly Solutions
Applying sustainable printing solutions in a workspace is an excellent alternative to reducing carbon footprint. Additionally, using less paper and choosing recycled cartridges will significantly reduce the cost of office supplies as well. For high-quality printing accessories, don’t hesitate to contact Copylite.
Engage in environmental initiatives that will encourage office members to choose eco-friendly alternatives, and you’ll have a greener workspace.