Reusing Printer Paper

Improving energy efficiency in the office

Imagine a world in which only one side of everything was used. Old vinyl albums would be missing all those great B-side songs. Food products would have no nutrition labels. Every debate would be a one-sided argument. That may sound crazy, yet office employees consistently use only one side of office printer paper without even a second thought. Reusing printer paper is an easy and common sense way to improve energy efficiency in any office.

Paper waste

Reusing printer paper is not just a trifling matter. Of the 4 pounds of trash produced every day by each man, woman, and child in America, 40% is composed of paper and cardboard products. The Great Wall of China is one of the wonders of the world, visible even from space. But if all the office paper used in the U.S. each year was brought together, it would form a ten-foot high wall that was 6,815 miles long, 2,800 miles longer than the Great Wall.

Fit for reuse

Clearly office printer paper consumption is a huge issue. So how do you make reusing printer paper a priority in your office? Here are a few suggestions:

Put the issue into monetary terms. Calculate how much it costs your company to follow a policy of not reusing printer paper. Then for every pound of paper your employees bring in at the end of the week that shows double-sided use, add the average paper cost to your "reusing printer paper fund." Seeing the real cost of not reusing printer paper is an easy way to make energy efficiency a real world concept for your employees.

Set up boxes around the office where employees can discard paper that's been used on just one side. The boxes can be a convenient way for reusing printer paper in a manner that saves even more money. Reusing printer paper can cut down not just on paper costs, but also on the cost of post-it notes and scrap paper.

Encourage employees to create internal company reports by reusing printer paper. Inkjet printers are capable of printing on already used paper without any possibility of damage. However, if your company uses laser printers, you should know that laser printer manufacturers recommend against reusing printer paper because of the potential of jamming and damaging the fuser mechanism.

Create an energy efficiency award for individuals or teams who make reusing printer paper a priority. Each sheet of paper requires about 20-watt hours of energy to produce. Acknowledge energy efficiency savings in your office with a best and brightest trophy for most watt hours saved.

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