One item in the average office that could be an energy drain is the printer. Printers use a significant amount of power when spooling and processing print jobs. If you plan to use your printer frequently, it is smart and environmentally friendly to look into ways to save energy in the process.
Energy Usage For Printers
The amount of energy a printer uses varies by model. Many manufacturers design newer model printers so that they are consistent with Energy Star requirements set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy. Energy Star printers are designed for energy efficiency. The average laser printer uses more energy than a computer at 1,568 kilowatt-hours per year; a standard medium-sized inkjet printer uses about 184 kilowatt-hours of energy each year. So the first step if you want to save energy when using a printer is to choose an inkjet model.
Sleep Mode
If your printer has a sleep mode setting, use it regularly. Sleep mode turns down or off the printer's mechanisms and display screen temporarily in between printings. When you send a new job to the printer, it boots back up, similar to a computer, to complete the printing. Leaving the printer mechanisms and display screen lit all day is an unnecessary drain on energy. Instead, set the printer so that it goes directly into sleep mode seconds after the last printout.
Unplug When Out of The Office
If you plan to leave the office for an extended period of time, whether it's on vacation or just overnight, unplug the printer. Even when in sleep mode, the printer drains a small amount of energy. The only case where you should probably keep the printer plugged in during an absence is if it has a built-in fax function and you can't afford to risk missing an important fax while away.
Fast or Economy Setting
Many printers also offer an economy setting when generating printouts. The economy setting uses less ink and also slightly less energy than the standard or high quality printing setting. It runs the paper through the print head quickly, which puts less stress on the printer's functions. Select this setting as the default (go to "Printing Preferences" or the similar option in your computer's printer settings) but note that the quality of the printout is not ideal for official paperwork that you plan to send to other parties.
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