If you are a green company and deeply committed to more environmentally friendly printing and signage solutions, you may want to consider the following tips for eco-friendly printing:
- E-Communication – replace paper communication with emails.
- Double-sided – if for some reason you need to print handouts, and cannot use an electronic file, consider printing/photocopying double-sided documents which will save, not only the trees, but also money, space, and cost.
- Overprint – sometimes it is best if you take time to know more about how many copies you need, instead of overprinting and causing waste.
- Proofing – make sure the content and graphics of your to-be-print piece is proofed for any possible errors to ensure correct information before printing pages and pages of non-useful output.
- Energy Star – do you use Energy Star equipment? If not, this is where you want to start.
- Switch off – it might take some getting used to, but something as simple as switching off your equipment can bring you closer to running an eco-friendly operation.
- Sleep mode – almost every technology has some kind of a sleep mode which will allow you to set your equipment to the lowest available setting that matches your needs.
- Maintenance – proper equipment maintenance keeps your machines at a high performance level with efficient delivery.
- Recycling – do you recycle internally? If not, you may want to consider doing so by placing recycling bins around your office to dispose of paper and recyclable products.
- Electronic waste – make sure you have a process to get rid of your electronic waste. It might take years and years for such equipment to break down in landfill. Reach out to your local waste management company and talk about options.
- TakeBack Programs – ask your suppliers if they offer a takeback program that will allow you to keep upgrading on your equipment on an as needed basis without the requirement to fill the landfills with unnecessary waste.
