Paper & Printing
Buy Low Impact Paper
Make it a policy to buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf.
Recycle Print Cartridges
Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones. According to Office Depot, each remanufactured toner cartridge “keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills...and conserves about a half gallon of oil.”
Print on Two Sides
Configure your printer settings on your computer to default to two-sided/duplex printing. If you work for a larger company, ask your IT or Facilities Manager to configure your printers to print on two sides.
Limit your Printing
Do you really need to print that email out? Before you hit print, ask yourself if you can cut and paste the information into a document that you can store in a computer file, or simply write it down the old-fashioned way. You'd be amazed at how much paper and ink (plus the energy required of your printer) you can save by just pausing for a few seconds to determine just how badly you need another piece of paper (or two or three). And if you must print, don't forget to print on both sides if you can. It might take a few mishaps to know exactly how to reload the paper into the feeder, but the amount of paper you'll save in the end will be well worth it.
Lose the Filing Cabinet - Digitize your Documents
If you need to make copies of documents for your records, consider scanning the hard copies you have and storing them on a backed up hard drive. Not only will you save paper, but you'll save space too.
Buy Multifunction Products
Consider replacing some print, fax and copy standalone products with multifunction printers. They take up less space and may help lower energy costs of printing and copying. Look for digital sending capabilities in the MFPs that can help reduce paper use.
