Minimizing your printer's environmental impact

Studies show that as much as 80% of the carbon footprint of a printer is related to paper usage. You can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by using recycled paper and the following printing suggestions, such as printing on both sides of the paper and printing multiple pages on one side of a single sheet of paper.

For information on how you can quickly save paper and energy using one printer setting, see Using Eco-Mode.

Using recycled paper and other office papers

As an environmentally conscientious company, Lexmark supports the use of recycled paper produced specifically for use in laser (electrophotographic) printers.

While no blanket statement can be made that all recycled paper will feed well, Lexmark consistently tests papers that represent recycled cut size copier papers available on the global market. This scientific testing is conducted with rigor and discipline. Many factors are taken into consideration both separately and as a whole, including the following:

Amount of post-consumer waste (Lexmark tests up to 100% post-consumer waste content.)
Temperature and humidity conditions (Testing chambers simulate climates from all over the world.)
Moisture content (Business papers should have low moisture: 4–5%.)
Bending resistance and proper stiffness means optimum feeding through the printer.
Thickness (impacts how much can be loaded into a tray)
Surface roughness (measured in Sheffield units, impacts print clarity and how well toner fuses to the paper)
Surface friction (determines how easily sheets can be separated)
Grain and formation (impacts curling, which also influences the mechanics of how the paper behaves as it moves through the printer)
Brightness and texture (look and feel)

Recycled papers are better than ever; however, the amount of recycled content in a paper affects the degree of control over foreign matter. And while recycled papers are one good path to printing in an environmentally responsible manner, they are not perfect. The energy required to de-ink and deal with additives such as colorants and “glue” often generates more carbon emissions than does normal paper production. However, using recycled papers enables better resource management overall.

Lexmark concerns itself with the responsible use of paper in general based on life cycle assessments of its products. To gain a better understanding of the impact of printers on the environment, the company commissioned a number of life cycle assessments and found that paper was identified as the primary contributor (up to 80%) of carbon emissions caused throughout the entire life of a device (from design to end-of-life). This is due to the energy-intensive manufacturing processes required to make paper.

Thus, Lexmark seeks to educate customers and partners on minimizing the impact of paper. Using recycled paper is one way. Eliminating excessive and unnecessary paper consumption is another. Lexmark is well-equipped to help customers minimize printing and copying waste. In addition, the company encourages purchasing paper from suppliers who demonstrate their commitment to sustainable forestry practices.

Lexmark does not endorse specific suppliers, although a converter’s product list for special applications is maintained. However, the following paper choice guidelines will help alleviate the environmental impact of printing:

Minimize paper consumption.
Be selective about the origin of wood fiber. Buy from suppliers who carry certifications such as the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) or The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). These certifications guarantee that the paper manufacturer uses wood pulp from forestry operators that employ environmentally and socially responsible forest management and restoration practices.
Choose the most appropriate paper for printing needs: normal 75 or 80 g/m² certified paper, lower weight paper, or recycled paper.

Unacceptable paper examples

Test results indicate that the following paper types are at risk for use with laser printers:

Chemically treated papers used to make copies without carbon paper, also known as carbonless papers
Preprinted papers with chemicals that may contaminate the paper
Preprinted papers that can be affected by the temperature in the printer fuser
Preprinted papers that require a registration (the precise location on the page) greater than ± 2.3 mm (± 0.9 in.), such as optical character recognition (OCR) forms. In some cases, registration can be adjusted with a software application to successfully print on these forms.)
Coated papers (erasable bond), synthetic papers, thermal papers
Rough-edged, rough or heavily textured surface papers or curled papers
Recycled papers that fail EN12281:2002 (European testing)
Paper weighing less than 60 g/m² (16 lb)
Multiple part forms or documents

For more information about Lexmark, visit www.lexmark.com. General sustainability-related information can be found at the Environmental Sustainability link.

Conserving supplies

There are a number of ways you can reduce the amount of paper and toner you use when printing. You can:

Use both sides of the paper

If your printer model supports duplex printing, you can control whether print appears on one or two sides of the paper by selecting 2-sided printing from the Print dialog or the Lexmark Toolbar.

Place multiple pages on one sheet of paper

You can print up to 16 consecutive pages of a multiple-page document onto one side of a single sheet of paper by selecting a setting from the Multipage printing (N-Up) section of the Print dialog.

Check your first draft for accuracy

Before printing or making multiple copies of a document:

Use the preview feature, which you can select from the Print dialog or the Lexmark Toolbar, to see how the document will look before you print it.
Print one copy of the document to check its content and format for accuracy.

Avoid paper jams

Carefully select and load paper to avoid paper jams. For more information, see Avoiding jams.

Saving energy

Using Eco-Mode

Use Eco-Mode to quickly select one or more ways to reduce your printer's environmental impact.

Note: See the table for the multiple settings that change when you select an Eco-Mode setting.

Choose	To
Energy	Reduce energy use, especially when the printer is idle. Printer engine motors do not start until a job is ready to print. You may notice a short delay before the first page is printed. The printer enters Power Saver mode after one minute of inactivity.
Paper	Duplex is enabled on printer models supporting duplex.
Energy/Paper	Use all the settings associated with Energy mode and Paper mode.
Off	Use factory default settings for all settings associated with Eco-Mode. This setting supports the performance specifications for your printer.

To select an Eco-Mode setting:

From the printer control panel, press .
Press the arrow buttons until Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until General Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until Eco-Mode appears, and then press .
Select the setting you want, and then press.
Submitting changes appears.

Reducing printer noise

Use Quiet Mode to reduce the printer noise.

Note: See the table for the multiple settings that change when you select a Quiet Mode setting.

Choose	To
On	Reduce printer noise. You may notice a reduction in processing speed. Printer engine motors do not start until a job is ready to print. You may notice a short delay before the first page is printed. Fans run at a reduced speed or are turned off. If your printer has faxing capability, fax sounds are reduced or disabled, including those made by the fax speaker and ringer.
Off	Use factory default settings. This setting supports the performance specifications for your printer.

Choose

Reduce printer noise.

You may notice a reduction in processing speed.
Printer engine motors do not start until a job is ready to print. You may notice a short delay before the first page is printed.
Fans run at a reduced speed or are turned off.
If your printer has faxing capability, fax sounds are reduced or disabled, including those made by the fax speaker and ringer.

Off

Use factory default settings. This setting supports the performance specifications for your printer.

To select a Quiet Mode setting:

From the printer control panel, press .
Press the arrow buttons until Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until General Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until Quiet Mode appears, and then press .
Select the setting you want, and then press.
Submitting changes appears.

Adjusting Power Saver

Make sure the printer is on and Ready appears.
From the printer control panel, press .
Press the arrow buttons until Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until General Settings appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until Timeout appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons until Power Saver appears, and then press .
Press the arrow buttons to enter the number of minutes for the printer to wait before entering the Power Saver mode. Available settings range from 1–240 minutes.
Press .
Submitting changes appears.
Press , and then press until Ready appears.

Note: Power Saver settings can also be adjusted by typing the printer IP address into the address field of your Web browser.