Offices everywhere continue to explore how they can reduce their carbon footprint. However, many offices fail to realize that some of the biggest power consumers are copier and printers.
Printing and copying requires a significant amount of heat in order to fuse the toner to the paper. To produce heat, electricity is expended. As the cost of power rises, many offices are determining ways to consolidate print devices.
With today’s multifunction systems, it is very easy to install a single machine that will print, copy, scan and fax. A typical workgroup consumes 481 kWh per month and costs over $600 per year to power. Now think about how many workgroups are in your company and see how more devices, may not always be better.
Reducing the power consumption of your printer and copier fleet makes both environmental and financial sense. Here are a few ways that we can help you accomplish this:
Solution 1: Device Consolidation
A practical solution for decreasing costs is consolidating devices with multifunction systems that print, copy, fax and scan. Today, there are many options available that include compact desktop systems, robust workgroup and even departmental systems. Fast output speeds, concurrent processing and dependable designs make these devices a popular solution for most offices. Full color systems are also available where needed. End users also enjoy the scanning features that allow documents to be scanned to network folders and email addresses.
Solution 2: Power Saver Modes
Energy Star certified devices are the best at saving power whenever possible. These devices can be set to enter sleep mode and even turn off automatically at night. These systems conserve energy whenever they are not in use. Older systems took a long time to warm up, and therefore discourage offices from turning them off. However, most new systems have technology that lets them warm up from sleep mode quickly, minimizing the interruption to your work.
Solution 3: Retire Older Devices
Some of the biggest power hogs may be older printers and copiers that have been kept around for convenience and because they aren’t technically broken. Many of these are hidden under desks and shoved into corners. While they may be convenient, it probably does not make sense to power a printer that is only printing a handful of pages every month, especially when power is so expensive. Plus, these systems require service. Supplies and maintenance for older devices are often more expensive. In the interest of power savings, it may make sense to retire and recycle these systems in exchange for a more cost-efficient device.
We can help you reduce the power usage and carbon footprint of your organization. Contact us today to learn more about how you could start saving the environment and money today!