In the Copy and Supply Room

Change Your Settings
Set your printers, copiers, and faxes to "duplex," allowing printing on both sides, which can cut paper cost nearly in half. Also, activating standby settings on equipment can reduce energy usage even more by diminishing the power when the device is not in use. Copiers, laser printers, faxes, and other office equipment can save up to 66 percent of their 24-hour power consumption if on only during office hours.

Unplug Electronics, Use Power Strips
Many electronics cannot be switched off completely without being unplugged. In other words, they use energy-20 to 40 watts-even when turned off. We call this power consumption "standby power." Unplugging electronics-or turning them off at a power strip-allows you to eliminate the energy used for standby power.

Reuse Office Supplies
When choosing office supplies, choose items that can be reused. Some, like refillable pens and pencils, folders, and envelopes, can be reused many times. Also, find out if your office printers will accept remanufactured toner cartridges. By using these or by recycling cartridges, you can help eliminate waste.

Buy Recycled-Content Products
Buy products made from, or packaged in, recycled materials, including office supplies. Recycled content means fewer virgin materials were used to manufacture the product. You can usually spot products made from recycled paper, plastic, and other materials by reading the labels. Give preference to items with acceptable percentages of recycled content, especially post-consumer. To view environmental standards and guidelines on recycled content by product, see the Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services.

Recycle Electronics and Batteries
Electronic waste is growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste. Texans discard 1.5 million computers annually. You can help by making sure your used office electronics get donated, reused, or recycled. Additionally, look for opportunities to use rechargeable batteries. Most can be recharged up to 1,000 times, then recycled. Visit the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation Website to find a battery drop-off site near you.