Does Your Workplace Use Paper Wisely? Xerox Offers Five Smart Strategies To Stay 'Green'

CreativePro Staff

Contracts, memos, presentations and more – paper is a major presence in any typical office environment. So how can office workers ensure that the paper they use is used wisely? As the world looks ahead to celebrating Earth Day next month, here are five smart strategies from Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) to consider as you manage paper resources in your office.

1. Print both sides of paper. Using the "duplex" function on office printers, multifunction systems and copiers – especially for ordinary documents like e-mail or memos – is a simple way to quickly cut paper use. It saves energy as well: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates say that manufacturing a piece of paper requires 10 times more energy than making a copy.
2. Choose recycled when appropriate. Decades of research and experience demonstrate that recycled paper can meet the same performance standards as non-recycled paper – and several options are available in a range of colors and sizes. Xerox offers more than a dozen product families with 20 percent to 100 percent post-consumer content designed for everyday letter- to tabloid-size office documents.
3. Recycle what you use. Install bins to make it easy to collect paper for recycling or for reuse as notepaper. For every ton of recycled paper used, paper manufacturers can avoid the use of 3.5 tons of virgin fiber.
4. Understand how to properly handle it. Paper may look "plain," but it is a carefully engineered product whose imaging performance can be affected by humidity, curl and other factors. To prevent waste and possible paper jams, keep paper sealed until you’re ready to load it. Follow the arrows on the wrapper to ensure the proper side of the paper is facing up. Avoid crushing or damage by stacking paper boxes five high or less. Put boxes on shelves or pallets, not on the floor, to avoid moisture absorption. And choose a storage area that’s protected from extreme temperatures and humidity; most air-conditioned areas provide the right balance.
5. Choose paper from environmentally responsible suppliers. Not all paper is created equal, so research whether your paper brand’s environmental policies are aligned with your values. As the world’s largest distributor of cut-sheet paper, Xerox requires paper suppliers to meet stringent requirements that encompass sustainable forest management and fiber sourcing, that put limits on use of hazardous materials, and that demand reusable or recyclable packaging.