Point of view paper

IT and the Environment

Environmentally Friendly Office

Tom Wagland, environmental manager at Ricoh UK. outlines some simple steps that IT managers should take in the management of office equipment to do their bit for the environment and tick the 'I comply' box in the process.

Seven Easy Steps

1. Paperless office

Paper is a necessary evil for most businesses, but 70 per cent of total office waste is high-grade white paper. IT managers should encourage electronic document management amongst staff and will find that not only are they softening their blow on the environment, but are promoting more efficient management of information and cutting costs in the process, the obvious one being a reduction in paper consumption!

2. Energy conservation

A 20 per cent saving in energy consumption can have the same effect as a five per cent increase in sales [Source: Defra] and copiers and printers are the fastest growing cause of energy consumption within the office. With utility boards pushing up their prices, IT managers would do well to introduce energy-saving measures such as multifunctional devices (wihich combine a printer, copier and scanner) that are Energy Star-accredited. This can actually halve the amount of energy consumed by single devices.

3. Smarter systems

By introducing software and networking capabilities to a company's print devices, the IT department can re-route and manage print jobs more effectively by ensuring that colour, black/white or duplex documents, for example, are automatically sent to and produced by the most cost effective machine. Duplex printing can even become the company standard, hugely reducing paper consumption and also energy usage.

4. Re-use

Contrary to popular belief, recycling is actually a last resort when it comes to your business doing its bit for the environment. Circuit boards, display panels and other expensive components can all be refurbished and re-used, so think carefully before disposing of them completely, and ask if the manufacturer can re-deploy them. Charities such as Computer Aid International, professionally refurbish computers for reuse in education, health and not-for-profit organisations in developing countries.

5. Re-distribute

If re-use isn't an option, then IT managers should consider sending parts to offshore divisions where the value of the raw materials is much higher. In the last year alone, Ricoh's Green Centre shipped 6,600kg of plastics and 1,OOOkg of polythene to a partner in China where they are guaranteed to be re-used, rather than dumped in bulging landfill sites.

6. Think before you throw

A huge number of toner bottles that are sent to be refilled still contain usable ink. IT managers should take greater responsibility for the goods that staff are disposing and recycling, as a huge amount of money could be saved simply by getting the absolute most out of devices and their components. The simplest way of doing this is to shake the toner cartridge wihen you think it's empty ­you'd be surprised how much is still inside!

7. Stay one step ahead

With the WEEE Directive and further pressure in the form of the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive, it comes as no surprise that the Government is constantly reviewing its environmental initiatives. IT managers could do worse than to stay one step ahead and review manufacturing, usage and re-usage processes to eliminate the potential 'problem areas' .

At present, waste typically costs companies 4.5 per cent of their turnover [Source: Envirowise]. It might seem an impossible problem to solve, given the prospect of rethinking a company's approach to 'green working'. But by being smarter in their business practices, IT managers will not only cut this cost potentially around £1,000 per employee [Source: Envirowise] but also significantly reduce the environmental impact of their operations.