How to Make Your Office Copier “Go Green”

For perhaps the first time, many of us are realizing that taking care of the environment is an obligation that each individual shares. Whether it is in our work life, home life or play life, there are things that can be done to accomplish this.

6 Things You Can Do to Make Your Office Copier Green

As for as work life, following are six things that you can do to make your office copier “go green.

Dual Functions: Buying an officer copier that offer dual functions is one of the easiest ways to help the environment. Office copiers with dual functions contribute to your green efforts in the one major way. Before exploring how, let’s first explain the concept of a “dual function” office copier.

A dual function office copier is one that offers a combination of the following: faxing, printing, scanning and copying. Dual function office copiers with scan capability help to save on paper by allowing you to make e-files out of documents. Instead of printing, you can work from the e-file and/or send it to necessary parties.

This saves on trees, helping to conserve natural resources.

Unplug: Many office copiers turn themselves off automatically if there hasn’t been activity within a certain amount of time. It’s an auto save feature that helps to conserve energy. Barring this, be sure to turn off your copier before leaving your office for the day.

Use Recyclable Paper: This is one of the easiest things you can do to make your office copier go green. Many office supply stores sell it right alongside regular copier paper.

When buying recycled paper, look for brands with the percentage of post-consumer content listed somewhere.

Office Copier Setup: This too is an easy way to help the environment. Before you copy a document, make sure the copier is attuned to all the right settings. For example, is it set to 8.5x11 letter-size paper, instead of the 11x17 legal paper? Is it set-to print double-sided, instead of single-sided? Is it set to the number of copies you need?

Recycle Toner Cartridges: Many offices have been doing this for years. If yours doesn’t, there are many businesses that specialize in refilling empty cartridges. Many of them will even come to your office on a regularly scheduled basis to pick up used cartridges.

Appoint an Office Copier “Green Person:” Who is this? This is the person who will be in charge of green initiatives for the office. Some of the duties of an office green person might include the following:

i) Making sure that recycled paper is purchased when it’s time to buy office supplies; ii) calling the cartridge vendor and making sure that empty toner cartridges are picked up on a regular basis; iii) circulating memos to remind office mates of the company’s commitment to “green initiatives; and iv) setting out recycling bins so that all paper can be recycled.

These are just a few ways your office copier can go green.