14 Steps to Finding the Perfect Sustainable Printing Best Practices

Eev Hastings
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Jul 11, 2022

As people and companies try to minimize their environmental impact, sustainable printing techniques are growing in popularity. Technological advancements enable digital printing press to develop sustainable printed materials with no compromise to quality.

If your company wishes to demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability, it is crucial to understand the many sustainable printing options available on the market.

Less waste, economic savings, and resource conservation are just a few of the ways using sustainable best practices for printing may have a beneficial effect.

To get you started, use these suggestions to help you choose wisely when it comes to printing.

1. Just print what you need when you're printing.

Before you press the print button, consider if the data can be shared or kept electronically. Email is a way of information transportation, but with so many possibilities for file storage and sharing, it is far more environmentally friendly to save, distribute, and, in many cases, collaborate on document editing.

2. Configure the computer to print two sides automatically.

Make printing on both sides the default setting for email, spreadsheets, word processors, and other applications.

3. Create standard forms to save paper.

Standard forms that are reduced and double-sided. Automate typical forms as electronic templates wherever you can. Electronic forms are simpler to use and do not require blank paper forms.

4. Use the editing tools in word processing programs.

Utilize the onscreen editing tools to make changes to draft documents before sending the updated draft electronically.

5. Before printing, check your papers.

Before printing, proofread papers on screen. Don't forget to utilize the spell checker and grammar checker.

6. Only print the pages you require.

You just received your 20-page report, and there are modifications to be made on several pages. Do you print the entire document after making the changes? If so, try printing only the pages you require. The print function in most software systems has this option.

7. Inform people about the advantages of paper reduction.

People should be informed that their efforts to reduce paper use save not just paper but also power, toner, and storage space. All of these savings add up to a leaner, more efficient workplace for everyone.

8. Encourage people to "Think before You Print."

Everyone should be urged to create just the copies they need and to avoid generating duplicates.

9. Set up trays for reusing and collecting one-sided paper.

Encourage workers to conserve and repurpose one-sided paper at their desks. Make scratch pads out of the one-sided paper.

10. Transmit data electronically

Send forms, documents, and faxes by email. Give it some thought before printing electronic data. Save it and organize it to make it simple to find. You won't need to create hard copy files of vital information if you do it this way. Make sure to back up your data using a flash drive, external hard drive, the cloud, or some other method.

11. Utilize the editing tools in word processing programs.

Utilize the onscreen editing tools to make changes to draft documents before sending the updated draft electronically.

12. Emails should be digitally archived rather than printed and filed.

Moving to electronic settings may considerably enhance the processing, storage, and retrieval of archival material. Employees that work in an office or remotely can have immediate access to the necessary paperwork.

13. Wherever possible, print in black and white.

Compared to black and white printing, color printing costs substantially more and consumes more toner. Only external presentations and communications should utilize color.

14. For huge projects, use production machinery.

Proof online digitally or print only one paper proof to the departmental printer for papers that require a significant number of copies (more than 100 pages). Once completed, send the result to Print Services. Printing huge quantities or large documents in a manufacturing facility is less expensive than printing within your department.

Conclusion

As can be seen, there is a lot that can be done to make printing more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Some are easier or more expensive than others, but more and more of these sustainable printing processes are being used.

Make sure to follow these, especially if you are a designer whose livelihood is dependent on the printing of your designs. Our creativity and art should not destroy the environment. We can still make it seem attractive while being environmentally sustainable. You don't have to trade quality for environmental friendliness, or vice versa.