Paper is often the major contributor to waste in the office, and it’s the easiest to recycle. The university typically consumes between 54 and 60 million sheets of paper per annum. That’s a lot of paper. Last year IT implemented a new printing management system and already the results are visible.

READ MORE ABOUT IT’s GREEN PRINTING INITIATIVE

A few simple measures can make a huge difference in paper usage in your office.

1. Don’t print all your emails. There’s no need to print and file stacks of paper to read later. Rather organise your emails in folders and delete them when read. Consider including a “think before you print” message to your email signature to remind people.

2.  E-signing software allows you to email proposals, invoices and contracts to clients so that they can virtually and securely sign them, which vastly reduces the need for printed contracts.

3. If your printer isn’t set up to print 2 pages per sheet or print on both sides of the paper, follow these simple instructions to halve your office printing. Go to Print, click on Properties, and choose Page layout: 2 pages per sheet OR go to Print, click on Properties, click on Finishing and choose Print Style: 2-sided printing.

4. To use even less paper, change the margins on your word documents for more words on a page. Click on File, and choose Page set up and change the margins to 2 cm.

5. Buy recycled paper or paper from FSC certified sources. The FSC label ensure that the paper comes from responsible sources.

6. Put bins or boxes which are clearly signed in areas where people can deposit their paper, especially next to printers and copiers. Mondi offers a paper pick up in many areas. Ronnie_Recycler@mpsa.co.za. Visit www.e-waste.org.za to learn how to recycle your office’s e-waste.