Sustainability in printing is an important business strategy. Rising energy costs, stricter environmental regulations, supply-chain disruptions, and growing expectations from customers and employees are all factors that drive organizations to rethink how they print their materials.
Business owners may still regard printing as a fixed cost and perhaps an unavoidable environmental burden. After all, the process uses paper, toner cartridges (which need replacing), and devices draw power whether they’re actively printing or not.
It’s worth noting, though, that modern printing technology looks very different from the equipment many businesses may still have in place. Today’s copiers and printers are designed with sustainability in mind, offering meaningful reductions in waste, energy consumption, and overall environmental impact.
Understanding how these improvements work can help business leaders make smarter decisions—for both the environment and the company’s long term operational efficiency.
Sources of printing waste
When businesses think about printing waste, their first thought is of paper. Yes, that’s significant but it’s only part of the picture. There are multiple sources of printing waste, which include:
Industry statistics cite that the average office worker uses approximately 10,000 sheets of copy paper annually, with roughly 45% of printed documents trashed by the end of the day. Nearly 30% of print jobs are never picked up, and up to 50% of business waste consists of paper. This high volume contributes to 21 million tons of paper waste in the U.S. annually. So there is definitely room for improvement when it comes to conserving on printing.
Older printing devices contribute to these issues because they lack the controls and efficiencies built into newer systems. Modern equipment addresses waste at multiple points in the printing process—before, during, and after a document is produced.
Smarter defaults will reduce paper use
A modern, state-of-the art printer can reduce waste through intelligent default settings. Many newer devices are configured to print double-sided by default, immediately cutting paper consumption for common business documents such as reports, emails, and internal memos.
Advanced print drivers also allow administrators to set rules that encourage responsible printing without disrupting productivity. Examples include prompting users before printing large documents, automatically converting emails to more paper-efficient formats, or requiring confirmation for color printing when black-and-white will suffice.
Over time, these small changes can significantly reduce paper usage across an organization—often without employees consciously changing their behavior.
Use of “follow-me” printing reduces waste
Unclaimed print jobs can be another major source of waste. Documents are sent to a printer, forgotten, or reprinted when the original copy can’t be found. Modern devices increasingly use secure or “follow-me” printing systems, where jobs are only released when a user authenticates at the device.
This approach offers multiple benefits. It improves document security, reduces unnecessary reprints, and prevents sensitive documents from being left unattended. From a sustainability standpoint, it eliminates a surprising amount of wasted paper and toner that would otherwise end up in recycling—or worse, the trash.
More efficient use of toner and consumables
Today’s print engines are much more efficient than those of a decade ago. Advances in toner chemistry, fusing technology, and print resolution results in devices producing high-quality output using less material. Some systems are even designed to minimize toner scatter and over-application and reduce waste at the microscopic level.
Additionally, many manufacturers now design cartridges and components with recyclability in mind. Toner bottles, drums, and packaging are often part of closed loop recycling programs, helping reduce landfill waste and conserving on raw materials.
While consumables will always be part of printing, with advancement in the design of printers and copiers can use fewer resources per page and make responsible disposal easier.
Energy efficiency: printing without the power drain
Energy use is another area where modern printers differ importantly from earlier models. Traditional copiers drew power continuously, even when idle. Newer devices, though, are built to meet strict energy-efficiency standards and include sustainability features such as:
Many modern devices consume only a fraction of the energy they once used during standby periods, which is often the majority of a workday. Over the lifespan of a device, these reductions translate into lower electricity costs and a smaller carbon footprint.
Fewer devices and better utilization
Sustainable printing is more than just how devices operate; it is also about how many devices a business uses (and needs to use). Modern multifunction printers (MFPs) consolidate printing, copying, scanning, and faxing into a single system. Doing so is an amazing advance in sustainability. This practice can reduce the total number of machines drawing power, requiring maintenance, and consuming supplies.
Usage analytics can help businesses “right-size” their printer fleet. Instead of maintaining underutilized devices scattered throughout an office, organizations can deploy fewer, more capable systems in strategic locations—improving efficiency while reducing waste and energy consumption.
Digital workflows reduce printing altogether
A significant improvement for sustainability is how modern devices support digital workflows. Integrated scanning, document management, and cloud connectivity allow businesses to digitize information at the source—which, in turn, significantly reduces the amount of paper needed in creating these records.
Invoices, contracts, HR forms, and customer records that once required multiple printed copies can now be scanned, routed, and stored electronically. Over time, this reduces the overall volume of printing while improving document accessibility and security.
Sustainable printing won’t eliminate paper completely. But using sustainability practices allows a business to print only when doing so is needed, and when a printed document adds value.
Sustainability as a business practice
Sustainability often starts as an environmental concern for businesses but quickly becomes an operational one. Reduced paper usage lowers supply costs. Energy-efficient devices cut utility expenses, and fewer consumables can lead to less waste management overhead.
In addition to its being the right thing environmentally, evaluating your current business printing fleet and practices makes good business sense. The goal from an economic perspective should be to evaluate the actual cost per page to generate documents, too.
Modern copiers and printers reflect a broader shift in business technology: using smarter systems that do more with less. By understanding how today’s devices reduce waste and energy use, organizations can make informed decisions that align environmental responsibility with practical business goals.
With the right technology and thoughtful practices, sustainability is about efficiency, accountability, and long-term value—for businesses and the environment alike.
We can help you navigate through these issues. With seven decades’ experience, we have helped many businesses leverage the latest technology to create a printing environment that is environmentally friendly and cost-efficient. If you’d like to know more and may be wondering how to start on the road to greater sustainability, please give us a call at 888-357-4277 or visit https://pulsetechnology.com. We are here to help. Let’s talk!