Getting Set UpGreen Computing

Most of us have a habit of using far more paper than we need to-from newspapers that capture our attention for only an hour or two, to printed copies of documents that we could just as easily read from a screen. Luckily, changing the paper habit is as easy as keeping the three R's in mind: reduce, reuse, and recycle. In this article, we'll tell you how to put those three little words into practice when it comes to your printer.

• Reduce: Read and use information directly on your computer screen when you can; print documents only when you really need to. Print on both sides of the paper whenever possible.
• Reuse: Save paper that is printed on only one side and give it to the kids to color on, or use it as scratch paper for grocery lists, to-do lists, and so on.
• Recycle: Both ink cartridges and paper are easy to recycle; refill ink cartridges if you can, or else send empty cartridges in to be recycled.

What We Stand to Gain

Aside from the appeal of saving money by buying less, the main goal of green thinking is to protect the environment. Keeping printer supplies, such as ink cartridges and toner products, out of landfills avoids filling our landscape with garbage that decomposes very slowly and may leach poisonous materials into the soil and groundwater. Using fewer plastic products reduces the amount of oil we need (plastic is made from oil) and reduces greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Using less paper allows trees to continue to grow and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the effects of greenhouse gases that create global warming (for more information, see the Wikipedia article on global warming).

Beyond the environmental costs of the physical materials themselves, the manufacturing and transportation of print supplies uses fossil fuels like oil. Even the recycling process itself is a manufacturing process, so the best approach is to cut down on the number of products we use overall.

Save Oil by Changing How You Use Ink and Toner

The supplies your printer uses, such as ink (for inkjet printers) or toner (for laser printers), must be replaced after a number of uses (true for supplies for fax machines and copiers as well). And, of course, the more you print, the more supplies you need to buy. Factor in the oil used in manufacturing and transporting these products, and you can quickly see why reducing the amount you print makes environmentally-sound, good sense.

Refill kits and programs. According to EarthtoneSolutions.com, more than 600 million ink cartridges are used in the United States each year, most of which end up in landfills. In addition to reducing how much ink and toner you use, it's also quite simple in most cases to refill the empty cartridges. Office supply stores sell kits to refill ink cartridges yourself, and you can also have them refilled professionally at those same stores, as well as drug stores and other shops, including stores that specialize in refilling and recycling ink and toner cartridges. It's also worth noting that in the United States and many other countries, equipment manufacturers are required by law to let their customers use refilled cartridges without affecting equipment warranties.

Recycling programs that give back. Some schools and other organizations also offer recycling programs for ink and toner cartridges as a fundraising activity. Check for programs in your community, or consider starting one yourself. Several organizations specialize in supporting fundraising initiatives of this type, including CureRecycling.com, which generates funds for the schools and other groups that supply the recyclable cartridges and funds research for childhood cancers. You can't get much more socially responsible than that.

Save Trees by Rethinking Your Use of Paper

The percentage of paper that is recycled continues to increase every year, which helps to keep it out of landfills. Part of the improvement is from the spread of curbside recycling and the growing consciousness that recycling is important. Taking into account that some of the paper we use will always need to come from trees, because paper pulp can only be recycled about five or six times before it needs to be disposed of for good, makes the other two R's (reduce and reuse) even more important.

To help you reduce your paper use, every time you consider printing something, think about whether you really need to use another sheet of paper. Soon you'll begin to notice how little effort it really takes and using less paper will become second nature. And since paper becomes clutter almost immediately, your immediate surroundings will become tidier as well. The changes you make on your own desk are a smaller version of the change you are enacting for the whole planet.

Take Action!

Change starts with you. A little bit of effort to change your habits can make a world of difference. Here are some tips to help you set a good example:

• Monitor how long it takes you to use each ream of paper and ink cartridge. Start a log (on a computer, without printing it out!) where you write down the date every time you open a new ream or replace an ink cartridge. Try to increase the amount of time between each date.
• Recycle all of the paper you use. Yes, that means making an extra trip to the recycling bin when you have a single envelope to recycle instead of dropping it into a wastebasket. Placing recycling bins near every printer in the house will help keep you on track.
• Buy recycled paper products, ink, and toner. Take the extra effort to find recycled printing paper, envelopes, ink, and toner. While you're at it, adopt other recycled household products as well, such as paper towels, and tissue paper.
• Spread the word. Talk to other people about reducing, reusing, and recycling. Put a recycling bin in place at your workplace and take responsibility to see that it gets emptied on a regular basis by doing it yourself, getting others involved, or scheduling a pickup with a local recycling service.