Let's apply these tips in our offices, avoiding so much waste and considering that printing and photocopying are the main sources of paper consumption in an office, so any savings measure we establish here will be very important.
- Control the number of copies and prints, establishing monthly controls on the number that are made.
Photocopy and print on both sides. This saves paper, copying costs, shipping and storage. Documents take up less space and weigh less and are easier to staple and transport. Sometimes it is necessary to photocopy or print on one side only, but most of the time it is not. By following this idea, we can reduce the paper consumption in an office by 20%.
IMPORTANT: Inform all users of the configuration of this equipment, to avoid wasting paper due to incorrect use.
Post instructions on a sign next to the photocopier.
Reduce the image size when photocopying: On copiers reduce from A3 to A4 size.
- Choose the font size.- Choose the smallest font, and you will save a lot of pages. You can work on the computer screen with a large size (e.g. 14 or 16) and once corrected, change it (10, 11 or 12).
- Choose smaller fonts - e.g. Times takes up less space than Arial.
- Configure the pages.- Set very small margins to print drafts or internal documents and increase them a little when you have to print a final report, always trying to leave the smallest possible margin.
- Proofread on screen instead of on paper. Run spell and/or grammar check before printing. Override proofing option on printers
- Avoid unnecessary copies - Placing reminder notes on computer screens such as:
Are you sure you need to print/copy this document?
Have you checked how many copies you need?
Have you reviewed and corrected the document before printing it?
Consider that each copy/print costs us X USD.
- Save non-printed files on your computer.- There is no need to keep paper copies of all documents and reports. They can be saved on hard disk, diskettes, CDs. You will also save storage space.
- Do not print the emails you receive. You can read them on screen and save the necessary ones on your computer as a text document so they take up less space.
- Short courses on the operation of the machines can be held for all workers, taught by technicians from the supplier companies.
They must also know the correct assignment of copier and printer trays and print orders.
It can be indicated on the screen of each computer through a sticker that specifies
– Types of paper in each tray of the printing machine
– Reminder note to remove cover and print double-sided when possible
- Perform periodic maintenance on photocopiers and printers
Toner defects or minor problems with copiers and printers cause significant paper waste. It is important to notify maintenance and other users when a machine is not in working condition until it is checked.
EN 
ES_ES