Six Steps to Smarter Printing

reprinted with permission from HP

Making changes to your printing and imaging systems is an easy way to reduce your environmental impact and show measurable cost savings. Selecting the right imaging and printing tools and implementing responsible in-office practices are crucial to developing a cost effective environmental strategy. Here are six key steps to getting your organization on the right track.

Six smarter printing strategies:

Calculate your carbon footprint. Use the HP Carbon Footprint Calculator for Printing to benchmark your printer fleet is today. Then, compare your existing fleet to new, optimized fleets. Finally, determine the right number and mix of energy-efficient devices to maintain your ideal work team productivity.

Consolidate and replace outdated equipment. Replace stand-alone print, fax and copy machines with multifunction printers that require less space and fewer instances of power use. Look for energy-efficient equipment labeled with the ENERGY STAR or EPEAT label. When purchasing new equipment, factor in energy costs to calculate the total cost of ownership. For example, HP printers with HP Instant-On technology can reduce power consumption by up to 50 percent.

Power down. Turn off equipment that isn’t in use, especially after hours and on weekends. Equipment that remains turned on (even plugged in) still consumes energy. HP Web Jetadmin power-save mode makes this easy by allowing you to pre-set sleep and wake modes.

Print double-sided. If purchasing new equipment, choose printers with a duplex capability. That way the machine handles the paper reversal, so you don’t have to do it manually. Set duplex printing as the standard for your users

Digitize paper-based and document-intensive workflows. Capture and deliver documents electronically to speed document-based workflows, eliminate faxing and reduce paper usage.

Recycle. Office paper, toner cartridges and even old printing equipment are all recyclable. Make it easy for office workers to recycle paper by setting out plenty of bins to collect it. Designate a specific location for workers to place used printer cartridges that need to be recycled. Use HP’s free print cartridge recycling program for recycling HP original ink and toner cartridges. And finally, set up a process for recycling office equipment that is being replaced. HP, for instance, can help manage and recycle technology products responsibly and efficiently, and will even reclaim the materials in recycled printers or put the product back into use after using standard processes to help destroy confidential data.

This six-step approach can help you transform your organization for greater energy and cost savings. And it’s never too late to start. Taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to your day-to-day office functions can show big results, while also promoting your green agenda