Environmentally friendly printing for more Climate protection
Climate change is currently one of the dominant issues that accompany us every day. The focus is always on the large industrial nations to finally set effective goals and measures. But each and every one of us can also take small steps to help protect the climate for future generations in the long term.
For example, through our consumer behavior, we can encourage companies to produce more sustainable products so that many small steps eventually become big ones. If you look at the vast amounts of paper that is printed uselessly every year in Germany alone, there is a lot that can be done here.
We have summarized a few examples of how environmentally friendly printing can protect the climate and even save costs.
Environmentally friendly printing for more Climate protection
Climate change is currently one of the dominant issues that accompany us every day. The focus is always on the large industrial nations to finally set effective goals and measures. But each and every one of us can also take small steps to help protect the climate for future generations in the long term.
For example, through our consumer behavior, we can encourage companies to produce more sustainable products so that many small steps eventually become big ones. If you look at the vast amounts of paper that is printed uselessly every year in Germany alone, there is a lot that can be done here.
We have summarized a few examples of how environmentally friendly printing can protect the climate and even save costs.
1. Choose the right paper
1. Choose the right paper
When it comes to the question of the right type of paper, this is always related to the intended use. No one needs premium paper if they just need a quick printout as a reminder or for other short-term use.
Therefore, in most cases, printer paper made from waste paper can be used. The recycling processes have now become so good that you can hardly tell the difference to premium paper. Another advantage in addition to the idea of sustainability is the cost savings. Because recycled paper usually costs significantly less than premium paper.
When it comes to printing graphics, you cannot avoid using high-quality paper, but the number of such printouts should be kept as low as possible in times when everything can be presented digitally much more easily.
As a rule of thumb, you can remember that for normal printed matter such as handouts and regular correspondence, paper with a value of 80g/sqm is completely sufficient. For higher-quality printed matter such as graphics, certificates or photos, it should already have a paper that has more than 100g/sqm.
Incidentally, Greenpeace has also devoted itself to this topic and worked out how to recognize environmentally friendly paper in the trade.
When it comes to the question of the right type of paper, this is always related to the intended use. No one needs premium paper if they just need a quick printout as a reminder or for other short-term use.
Therefore, in most cases, printer paper made from waste paper can be used. The recycling processes have now become so good that you can hardly tell the difference to premium paper. Another advantage in addition to the idea of sustainability is the cost savings. Because recycled paper usually costs significantly less than premium paper.
When it comes to printing graphics, you cannot avoid using high-quality paper, but the number of such printouts should be kept as low as possible in times when everything can be presented digitally much more easily.
As a rule of thumb, you can remember that for normal printed matter such as handouts and regular correspondence, paper with a value of 80g/sqm is completely sufficient. For higher-quality printed matter such as graphics, certificates or photos, it should already have a paper that has more than 100g/sqm.
Incidentally, Greenpeace has also devoted itself to this topic and worked out how to recognize environmentally friendly paper in the trade.
2. Optimal use of the print area
2. Optimal use of the print area
In addition to choosing the right type of paper, it is also important to use the available print area as optimally as possible (if possible) and not to use several pages for content that can also be easily read on one page.
As a rule, when printing, the content is transferred to the printer in 100% size, which is usually correct in terms of readability. Nevertheless, you can see here whether a lower setting is not sufficient to perhaps save one or two sheets of paper.
Nowadays, duplex printing is almost standard for all common multifunction printers, which is why you should definitely use it. With every printed page, you have saved a sheet of paper again thanks to double-sided printing.
Even if it may seem a bit petty at the moment, since one side is more or less irrelevant, over the course of a year it definitely pays off for the wallet and for environmental protection.
In addition to choosing the right type of paper, it is also important to use the available print area as optimally as possible (if possible) and not to use several pages for content that can also be easily read on one page.
As a rule, when printing, the content is transferred to the printer in 100% size, which is usually correct in terms of readability. Nevertheless, you can see here whether a lower setting is not sufficient to perhaps save one or two sheets of paper.
Nowadays, duplex printing is almost standard for all common multifunction printers, which is why you should definitely use it. With every printed page, you have saved a sheet of paper again thanks to double-sided printing.
Even if it may seem a bit petty at the moment, since one side is more or less irrelevant, over the course of a year it definitely pays off for the wallet and for environmental protection.
3. Save printer ink and toner
3. Save printer ink and toner
Anyone who prints frequently knows exactly that ink and toner are enormous cost drivers. If you have replaced the ink cartridges twice, you could almost immediately buy a completely new printer instead.
Unfortunately, this has become a bad habit on the part of the manufacturers, which is almost tantamount to a frequently denied, but definitely existing, planned obsolescence in order to promote the sale of new printer models. The customer actually has almost no choice here, perhaps switching to a manufacturer that focuses more on sustainability.
So on the one hand there is still the possibility to switch to alternative printer cartridges and toner, but of course also to use the consumables sparingly. By default, the printer settings are preset so that “normal quality” is printed. Here you should consider beforehand whether it needs to be a high-quality print or whether the draft mode is not sufficient.
The bottom line is that the same rule applies here as with paper. The crowd does it!
Anyone who prints frequently knows exactly that ink and toner are enormous cost drivers. If you have replaced the ink cartridges twice, you could almost immediately buy a completely new printer instead.
Unfortunately, this has become a bad habit on the part of the manufacturers, which is almost tantamount to a frequently denied, but definitely existing, planned obsolescence in order to promote the sale of new printer models. The customer actually has almost no choice here, perhaps switching to a manufacturer that focuses more on sustainability.
So on the one hand there is still the possibility to switch to alternative printer cartridges and toner, but of course also to use the consumables sparingly. By default, the printer settings are preset so that “normal quality” is printed. Here you should consider beforehand whether it needs to be a high-quality print or whether the draft mode is not sufficient.
The bottom line is that the same rule applies here as with paper. The crowd does it!
4. The disposal
4. The disposal
It is often said that the best comes at the end. And that also applies to the correct disposal of printers and especially the printer cartridges or toner cartridges. Because these contain a whole range of chemical residues, plastics and electronic components, all of which should be disposed of properly.
Under no circumstances should you throw them carelessly in the normal household waste or in the yellow bin. These are not suitable for this and should in any case be disposed of via the dealers for printers and accessories where they were purchased, or via appropriate recycling centers.
It is often said that the best comes at the end. And that also applies to the correct disposal of printers and especially the printer cartridges or toner cartridges. Because these contain a whole range of chemical residues, plastics and electronic components, all of which should be disposed of properly.
Under no circumstances should you throw them carelessly in the normal household waste or in the yellow bin. These are not suitable for this and should in any case be disposed of via the dealers for printers and accessories where they were purchased, or via appropriate recycling centers.
Best selling multifunction printer:
Best selling multifunction printer:
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