Interesting statistics from printingnews.com with regard to the following question: Is your company involved in improving your environmental footprint with sustainability, green printing or other efforts?

52% are involved
14% will be in the next 12 months
34% say no

An article in Office Solutions confirms that approximately 50% of companies are following the “green” path and it becoming more of a “business as usual” approach. Furthermore, the article explains that going green is not that difficult or financially prohibitive as some companies may initially fear. The great thing about this particular article is that it gives 10 easy tips for any company whether your office is the working hub for 7 or more than 700 people.

10 Easy Tips

#1 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Your Paper.

Did you know that the average cost of wasted printed paper is 6¢, and that each employee will waste six pages per day (1,410 a year)? That amounts to approximately $85 per employee, per year alone. Saving paper and saving money go hand in hand.

Tips:
• Set recycling bins in high traffic areas like print and copy rooms.
• Make double-sided copies.
• Purchase recycled paper 30% or higher.
• Reuse the back of old documents for draft printing, or scrap paper.
• Decrease printing margins in MS Word from 1 1/4inches to ¾ inch to increase print area – According to GOOD magazine, if everyone in the United States changed their margin settings, we’d save a section of trees nearly the size of Rhode Island each year.
• Always check print preview before printing, only print what you need.

#2 Purchase Greener Office Supplies

Everyone needs pens, pencils, paper clips, staples, organizers, scissors, rulers, hole punchers and other office supplies. All of these supplies add up quickly. Buying these same products recycled is now as cost effective as purchasing them new.

Tips:
• Buy products that are made of recycled plastics and papers.
• Consider purchasing office supplies from green office suppliers who carry extensive green products.
• Eco-office supplies are available through www.frogfile.com, The Green Office www.thegreenffice.com and Green Earth Office Supply http://greenearthofficesupply.stores.yahoo.net/

#3 Opt for Organic or Fair-trade Coffee and Treats.

While purchasing greener office supplies is a step in the right direction, you may want to consider the type of products you purchase for your break room as well. Organic and fair-trade teas, coffee, sugar, and snacks not only have an impact on the overall health of your employees, but also the well-being of those who grow and live in the communities where the good are produced.
Newman’s Own Organics sells everything from organic popcorn and pretzels to dried fruit and cookies, and has donated over $200 million in charities around the world since 1982.

#4 Clean with Green in Mind.

We all know that cleaning products have an impact on our environment, but did you know that they can also have an impact on the health of your employees? Most professional cleaning services, but by providing them with safe products, you’ll reduce the amount of headaches and sick days brought on by cleaners with formaldehyde or petroleum-based ingredients.

Tips:
• Buy recycled toilet paper and paper towels
• Purchase dishwashing liquid, carpet shampoo, and all-purpose cleaners through green office suppliers

#5 Refurbished or Recycled Furniture Makes Sustainable Workspaces.

Chairs, desks, bookcases, and most other general office furniture can not only affect your company’s bottom line, but also the size of landfills.

Tip:
Instead of buying new, refurbish old furniture

#6 Shine on with CFLS and LEDS.

Many studies show that if businesses would install energy-efficient lighting, even if it is only cost-effective lighting, $12 billion a year would be saved on lighting costs, and greenhouse emissions would be reduced by 7.5 million tons. RISO, Inc. has done this to conserve of lighting costs and to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Tip:
If you are looking to install new fixtures along with CFL bulbs, visit Green Culture’s Eco Lights store http://eco-lights.com for the widest selection.

#7 Don’t Trade that Computer.

Instead of trading in your current computer, jump on board and upgrade your computer. Nearly all desktops and laptops today are built for upgrading! Upgrade to a bigger hard drive, faster processors, greater memory, etc. Upgrading and customizing your computer is not only fun, but it is more cost-effective and plant-friendly.

Tip:
If upgrading really isn’t for your- RECYCLE! Visit the following sites for recycling details: Earth 911 at http://earth911.org, or myGREENElectronics at www.mygreenelectronics.org.

#8 Print Responsibly with Energy-Efficient Copiers and Printers and Non-Toxic Toners.

Research prior to purchasing a new copier, printer, or duplicator to determine the amount of waste from toner cartridges the machines are likely to produce. Laser printers are less wasteful than inkjet printers, but most laser printers use an all-in-one cartridge containing plastic, metal, and rubber. Most companies in the printing industry are making efforts to go “green”. Many printers, copiers and duplicators are now Energy Star compliant.

RISO’s technology is safe for the environment. There are no ozone emissions, or noxious fumes such as toner particle emissions, silica dust and other air pollutants produced. Our digital duplicators are ENERGY STAR compliant, and meet RoHS directive standards, while RISO Kagaku is ISO 14001 certified. Disposal of supplies is never a problem, as our machines are built to last reducing materials found in landfills and hazardous materials and it’s really power conscious. When operating, it consumes less power than three light bulbs, or as little as 2 amps of electrical current when producing copies.

Dramatic Energy Savings
RISO digital duplicators do not need heat, high pressure, or high-voltage electronics to work. In fact, RISO digital duplicators require as little as 2 amps electrical current when producing copies—less energy than three light bulbs. What’s more, unlike many photocopiers and laser printers, the RISO digital duplicator easily handles a huge variety of recycled papers.

Printing Without Heat
In addition to the low energy usage of RISO full color printers, the lack of heat in the printing process eliminates the need for compensatory cooling, further reducing energy consumption and cost. This reduction in energy consumption in turn further reduces RISO full color printers’ carbon footprint—the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through combustion of fossil fuels that leads to ozone depletion. The heatless process also means higher reliability and durability, resulting in fewer maintenance calls that would require a technician to drive to the customer site for a repair job.

Soy-Based Ink
RISO ink is soy based, which is more environmentally friendly than ink that is petroleum based. Soy inks contain lower levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds); use of soy inks results in lower amounts of air pollution through reduction of toxic emissions. Unlike toner-based printers, RISO printers are free from ozone emissions, toner particle emissions, silica dust, and other air pollutants. Also, RISO printers do not emit greenhouse gases.

Minimal Waste
RISO digital duplicators and full color printers are built to last and last—it’s not unusual to print millions and millions of copies on a RISO printer. This reduces the amount of material that ends up in landfills and reduces the number of hazardous materials that can contaminate the environment.

Voted the Greenest Office Products Company
In a 2008 survey of Dealers by the Business Technology Association, Dealers were asked to rate the brands they carried on a scale from “Extremely Green” to “Not at all Green.” RISO received the highest “Green” ratings of all office product dealers.

#9 Save Waste, Water, and Energy Easily.

Making simple changes to the day-to-day habits can lead to big savings.

Tips:
• Turn off all electronics at the end of the day or when not in use- it’s more efficient than stand-by.
• If available, use the lower power setting on existing equipment, such as heating and cooling systems.
• Fix leaks in faucets and pipes.
• Recycle

#10 Consider Alternative Workspaces and Travels.

Encourage hosting virtual meetings and telecommuting to help both the company and its employees save money on travel costs. There are other expenses that you just can’t avoid such as heating and cooling expenses. For this there are online calculators to determine your leftover carbon emissions.