How to be more eco-friendly when using your business’ printer

With so many businesses going paperless, companies still using printers are probably feeling the pressure to be as environmentally friendly as possible. While paperless operations are viable for some traders, others need printing to market their services and work with clients. Printing isn’t a bad thing, so don’t feel guilty if you’ve carried on when so many people have stopped. But what you can do is make some small changes to try and be as conscious of your impact on the planet as possible. Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to cost a lot either. In fact, you might even save money.

Recycle

Everyone knows how important it is to recycle, but most businesses are already recycling their waste paper. So how can you go a step further? If you’re really committed to preserving the environment, think about using recycled paper in your printer, especially if a lot of your printing is internal. Documents that are only going to be used by your staff don’t need to be printed on premium paper. 

Another thing you can do that you might not have thought of is use remanufactured ink cartridges. These are cartridges that have been used and recycled before being filled with new ink – you really won’t know the difference. Make sure you browse printerinks.com to find a cartridge that suits your needs.

Switch off your printer

Your printer uses a lot of energy, so make sure it’s switched off when it’s not being used. This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many businesses leave their printers running overnight and all throughout the working day. Try to remind staff to turn off the printer once they’re finished using it, or switch it off yourself before you head home for the night. Lots of businesses don’t think about the impact of their energy use on the planet as it’s mostly invisible. But small changes can make a big difference to both the world and your budget.

Reduce

It might not be possible to be completely paperless, but are there areas where you could reduce your paper consumption? For example, how effective are the leaflets you send around to your customer base? Sometimes an e-mail can do the job just as well. Try to assess how many customers are making purchases because of a leaflet they’ve received, it might not be as many as you think. You could even be sending out leaflets to people who’ve moved house, meaning your marketing materials are being put in the bin as soon as they arrive. Call a team meeting and decide what exactly you need your printer for and what can be changed.

Consider a new model

Sometimes older printers eat up more electricity than newer ones. If your printer is slow, soaks your paper in ink and takes a long time to turn on, it might be time to get an upgrade. Make sure you pick a model that will last for years to come and recycle your old machine.