In November 2017, ITS collaborated with the Operations Department to reduce a fleet of nine assorted printers and an old copier to a single digital multipurpose device (printer/copier/scanner). Admittedly, some of us were anxious about the change, but once our computers were set up to print to the new device, they were quickly forgotten.
Was it worth it? Here is a short list of what we’ve observed*:
Reduced power consumption
Estimated power costs have been reduced from $217 to $22 annually.
Reduced printing volume
Our average monthly printed-page count has dropped from 4257 to 1428! This reflects a new thought process regarding old habits.
Lower cost per page
Ink and toner output costs on antiquated laser printers used to range between 2 to 10 full cents per page. Now new digital copying has yielded tremendous savings with toner costs ranging just 3 cents per page for color and a half penny for monochrome.
Reduced co² output 
All of our old laser printers were once producing (approximately) 1606 pounds of co² per year. Operating the digital copier now produces only an estimated 218 pounds, independent of reduced impacts of carbon and pollution from manufacturing.
Fewer points of failure
Every endpoint is considered a possible point of failure. We’ve reduced the total number of devices that require labor to maintain.
Secure printing
The ability to print confidentially has been addressed through security features of our device.
This pilot is a win/win/win. We reduced costs, improved our carbon footprint, and ended up with less equipment to maintain. We’re pleased with the results, and hope to see more departments ready to take the printer plunge!
* All numbers are based on available data and estimates generated by EPA and Hewlett-Packard sustainability calculators.
