(Newswire.net — May 26, 2021) — Waste is a big issue for the ecosystem, contributing negatively to both climate change and pollution. With Europeans producing around 481 kilogrammes of municipal waste annually, it’s absolutely vital that everyone takes steps to change and care for the planet. There are plenty of small but significant steps you can make to reduce your environmental impact, such as choosing to print in a more environmentally aware manner.
Whether you’re a business owner looking to go green or just looking to reduce your personal carbon footprint, here is the lowdown on eco-friendly printing and how you can implement it.
Recycle your cartridges
One of the best ways of reducing the impact of your printer is to start recycling your laser toner and ink cartridges. While it’s important to note that you can’t put cartridges in your normal recycling bin, there are an array of ways you can recycle them. The easiest way is via a scheme such as Recycle 4 Charity. All you have to do is print off a free postage label, box up your cartridges and send them – they’ll do the hard work for you. Not only does this reduce your carbon footprint, but this scheme also donates money to charity – a win, win.
Use recycled paper
You may think using recycled paper couldn’t possibly make a difference, but it really does. According to Shredit, using recycled paper not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but takes 70% less energy and water compared to paper made from new trees. In turn, manufacturing with recovered paper significantly decreases the type of pollution of smog. Recycling just one tonne of paper saves around 17 trees, so make sure you make a policy of both recycling and using recycled materials wherever possible.
Choose an eco-friendly printer
If you’re picking up a new printer, choose an eco-friendly model. Some are designed with refillable tanks rather than cartridges, while others are advertised as using less power. Alternatively, choose a printer that uses soy or vegetable-based ink cartridges as they produce fewer fumes than the traditional kind of cartridge.
Small changes
As well as recycling and changing the paper you use, think about how you can reduce the amount of paper you use. Printing is essential for many families and businesses so going paperless isn’t realistic, but you can reduce the amount of paper you use by printing double-sided where possible. Make sure that any paper you do use is always recycled property, putting a policy in place at work or even setting some rules in the home.
Looking after the planet should be a top priority for everyone – we only have one, after all. Making small changes is the easiest way of doing so, and is always something to do proud of. Eco-friendly printing is definitely possible and should be something every user considers, regardless of how much you print.