Are you worried about your carbon footprint when you print or buy paper? Don’t worry. There is a greener way. Sustainable printing isn’t just choosing recycled paper, it’s implementing a variety of eco-friendly decisions. Here’s the Printastik guide to some simple ways you can start going green in your office or home today.
1. Buy Eco-Friendly.
Recycled paper and FSC certified paper have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional paper. Switching from regular paper to sustainable paper is a great and easy move for the environment. This small change also saves you: 100% post-consumer waste paper is printed on 90 brightness instead of 96 so it’s cheaper. A win for everyone!
2. Print It Like You Green It.
This may be the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint. Duplex printing is a safe, easy, and green way to reduce paper usage by 50%. Just set your permanent printer settings to duplex so you don’t forget when you print!
3. Stay Up-To-Date.
Utilizing the latest technology whenever possible saves on time, money, and is more environmentally friendly. As printing technology advances, printers, toner, and ink cartridges become more efficient, ultimately saving on waste.
4. Reuse & Recycle.
In The United States, we throw away billions of laser and ink cartridges each year. Most cartridges can be refilled up to a dozen times, which conserves raw materials and prevents tons of waste. You can also recycle and repurpose used printer paper for a variety of functions. Paper only printed on one side can be flipped over and used again. Scrap paper can be cut up and used for notes in the office. Just make sure recycling bins are visible and accessible so anything can be easily recycled and reused.
5. Print Sustainably.
Paper waste is a problem, and then there’s the printer. Your printer takes plenty of energy, materials, and about one gallon of fuel to manufacture and function. Fortunately, major printer manufacturers, like Epson, are working to fix this problem by producing eco-friendly printers. If replacing your printer isn’t an option, you can partner with an eco-conscious printing company, like Printastik, to print large mailings, signs, or anything else you need.
Go Greener With Printastik
We’re inspired by companies like HP who created green initiatives and other sustainable alternatives. We pride ourselves on being able to make your digital dreams come true and reduce our carbon footprint. Every day we look forward to challenging ourselves to find ways we can become more sustainable. Contact us today to learn how you can print and save the environment.