The constant buzz of climate change concerns has many organizations thinking about improving sustainability, and a managed print assessment is a great way to start.
Your printers are an excellent example of a common workplace technology that can better contribute to your sustainability as an organization. Despite the move to the paperless office, most businesses print thousands of pieces of paper annually while churning through toner. A managed print assessment enables you to take a serious look at how much you really need to print and embrace greener practices to reduce waste.
Retire older technology for better sustainability
Many organizations stick with technologies if they’re still able to do the job adequately, and that includes office printers. These aging devices often consume much more power than today’s modern multi-function devices, which adds to their carbon footprint. Overall, they are more expensive to maintain. A managed print assessment can uncover this legacy technology and recommend modern replacements, which often leads to consolidation of multiple, single-purpose devices into a few multi-function devices that consume less power and cost less to maintain.
A managed print services provider can recommend the best devices for sustainability. A great starting point when updating your printer fleet is to look for certifications such as ENERGY STAR, Blue Angel, and EPEAT—you can be confident that any device with these labels are more sustainable through optimized use of power and duplex printing.
When rotating out legacy technology, it’s also important to make sure old printers simply don’t end up in a landfill. They can also be recycled to reclaim viable materials or even refurbished to be used elsewhere by organizations with limited budgets, such as not-for-profits, that only need a single device.
Manage toner use sustainably
The first thing organizations think of when it comes to recycling is the paper they print, but better ink and toner management can contribute to sustainability too. Modern toner cartridges can be recycled and turned into new ones, while a managed print assessment can help you understand how to print less so you use fewer toner cartridges a year. Many major printer manufacturers, including HP, have invested a great deal of time and effort to reduce the carbon footprint of toner cartridges by making them out of recycled plastic.
Streamline with a managed print assessment
Most organizations know they’re printing more than they need to. Employees print emails unnecessarily, accidentally send the wrong document to the printer, or forget to select the double-sided printing option.
Streamlining document workflow and identifying wasteful printing practices can also improve sustainability. A managed print assessment can make recommendations on technology that encourage better printing behaviours while consolidating and standardizing on fewer office printing devices. Multi-function printers eliminate the need for separate devices for printing, faxing and copying, smarter devices can ensure that employees only print what they need to and should be printing.
If you’re wondering how to bring sustainability to your organization, your printers are a great place to start. A managed print assessment can help you reduce your overall carbon footprint, lower paper and toner use, and make your business more energy efficient.