New multi-function printers (MFP’s), units that scan, print, copy, and fax, and printing software, appropriately called “PaperCut” are helping Algonquin College decrease paper use by both employees and students.
Algonquin College employees first started using the new printing set up at the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year. With twelve months of use, more than 75,000 sheets of paper have been saved from use as employees chose to cancel print jobs or allowed the document that was sent to the printing queue to time-out. The savings in trees and carbon emissions that result from employees printing less are: approximately nine trees that were not needed to manufacture paper, and 960 kg of associated carbon emissions.
Students at Algonquin College started off the 2017-2018 academic year with the new printers and software. In the first month of use by students, more than 19,000 sheets of paper have been saved from use as students either actively chose to cancel a print job after seeing the impact (cost, trees and associated carbon emissions) with the PaperCut software, or they allowed the document to time-out.
Data comparing printing by students at the start of the 2017-2018 academic year to the first two weeks of the 2016-2017 academic year shows a decrease in printing of 60%.
In addition to the savings in paper through this initiative, the new MFP’s are energy-efficient and use less electricity on an annual basis.
Learn More
The changes in how Algonquin College employees print documents is part of a comprehensive AC Print Strategy. Students are provided extra support on how to print, scan and copy under the Print Shop website and through Information Technology Services (ITS).
Group leading initiative: Ancillary Services
For more information, contact:
Algonquin College
613-727-4723
sustainability@algonquincollege.com
We all wonder if the little steps we take for energy conservation matter. But with the size of Algonquin College’s operations, and when many employees have multiple electronic devices on their desks and in their offices, we know for a fact that little steps for energy conservation do matter, and add up.
With these steps and the work of the Physical Resource team’s Ottawa-campus energy retrofits, the Ottawa campus electricity use during the shutdown period is expected to drop to its baseline level of around 2 MW of electricity use (buildings systems, emergency lighting and other systems still remain operational and need to be powered).
