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All office equipment has an impact on the environment, whether it be energy consumption, paper usage, waste creation or disposal. As we all become more aware of environmental protection and sustainability, consider the following when purchasing your multifunctional printer for your workplace.
Look for the ENERGY STAR label
ENERGY STAR in Canada is a voluntary arrangement between Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency and organizations that manufacture, sell or promote products that meet the ENERGY STAR levels of energy performance.
What does that mean? Qualified products must meet and exceed minimum Canadian federal energy efficiency standards according to a prescribed performance level for each product area. These products use less energy to complete the same task, creating fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Make less waste and use fewer resources
Find a multifuntional printer that will create less paper waste. Double-sided printing capability is key when it comes to saving paper. If you can set your device for double-sided printing as default, you will see a reduction in paper usage immediately. As well, look for print-shrinkage options. Printing two-to-one pages, and then double-sided on top of that sees your four page document reduced to one page – you just saved some trees!
Look at the life cycle
A long life cycle means less e-waste. It’s simple really, the longer it is usable and in your office, the longer it is out of the landfill. When your machine does come to the end of its lifetime, make sure your dealer or another local resource can provide an e-waste recycling program to dispose of your device.
Flick the switch
At the end of the day, flick the switch and turn that energy-consumer off. Make sure the last one in the office turns your MFP off for the evening as naturally as switching off the lights. You can also make sure to invest in a device that allows you to set up standby mode for when it is not in use, powering down between print jobs and conserving energy.
