Green software helps university see costs of needless printing

Businesses and organizations are constantly looking for ways to save money, especially on printing and mailing expenses, and eco-friendly printing practices may be the way to go.

In fact, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recently began using a software application, called GreenPrint, that has allowed it to realize approximately $1,200 in savings and 20,000 fewer pages printed in less than a month.

With the program, users will be informed of exactly how much their printing costs in terms of money, trees and greenhouse gasses. Additionally, the program offers a “Print Preview” option that shows users opportunities where they can delete unnecessary pages, images or text.

“It (GreenPrint) is easy to use, but it’s also a little in-your-face,” Diane Blohowiak, coordinator of user support for the university’s computing and information technology division, told the blog. “I think that, for some people, it’s a shock when this application tells them how much printing really costs.”

If businesses are looking for a more professional printing service, they should consider searching out providers that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.