Save energy, save money, save carbon

a new
web based resource
for all environmental,
print related issues

Saving energy will save you money. How much will vary from printer to printer, but here is some food for thought. According to The Carbon Trust:

The printing industry spends about £67 million on energy bills every year in the UK, resulting in an estimated 2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. The Carbon Trust estimate that the sector could cut its energy bills by 15% through basic energy saving measures.
For every 1ºC that you overheat your premises, you add 8% to your heating costs. (The maximum recommended temperature is 19º.)
A single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day will cost over £50 a year. Switching it off out of hours and enabling standby features could reduce this to £15 a year each and prolong the lifespan of equipment.
Most businesses using compressed air can save up to 30% of its costs simply by fixing any leaks.

So how can you save money for your company?

First, decide who will be responsible for managing your energy. Then there are five steps to take to put you in control of what you spend:

Learn - learn about your energy use - measure what you are spending and how, where the best opportunities are for savings
Plan - plan and write down the steps to take to reduce energy and save money.
Communicate - involve your staff. Tell them what you are doing and why, and get their support in achieving it. They will have a big part to play.
Monitor - measure your energy use regularly, in a way that lets you track performance
Review - is your plan working? What could you change or add for even better results?

There is plenty of free information available to help you, with The Carbon Trust a good starting place.