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The Paper Chain

The paper we use in our photocopiers comes from a 100% sustainable source, but at Nottingham College we want to do more...

Helping to reforest the world!

Did you know? A tree produces approximately 8,000 sheets of paper.

While always being mindful of printing documents when we only need to, we can go further to help make our printing facilities more sustainable.

For every 8,000 sheets of paper that we order we commit to planting another tree, not to be farmed, but to replenish the world’s ecosystem and absorb C02.

Our Paper Chain initiative means that not only is the paper we use 100% sustainable but we’re helping to reforest the world.

Pretty apt for a region that boasts one of the most famous forests in the world, don’t you think?

Smarter printing

As a college, there will always be the requirement to print some documents, but thanks to our paper chain initiative and in-house reprographics facility at our Highfields campus, we are implementing processes to reduce the total number of photocopiers/multi functional devices (MFDs) needed around the college and instead sending print jobs through a centralised function.

The problem: Many of our photocopiers are sitting idle most of the time in corridors, staff rooms and general common areas. While they have power saving idle power draw when not in use, the surge of energy when they wake up to process a job uses significantly more energy. Often these printers are not in constant use and soon that idle power draw soon adds up too.

  1. Reducing the need for photocopiers

    Thanks to our in-house reprographics facilities, we are implementing processes to process print jobs that might currently be sent to a photocopier on a corridor to our centralised print function, making the printing more cost-effective and ultimately allowing a phased reduction of photocopiers in use in the college, which ultimately will reduce energy consumption.

  2. Reducing print cost per job

    Printing a large document with lots of pages on a photocopier isn't cost effective, but having it printed through our reprographics function is more sustainable, given our print room is designed to be running 24/7 for high volume printing, even over night and on the weekends! Along with our reforesting paper chain initiative we are ensuring we replace what we use too.

  3. Smarter printing software and tracking

    We are implementing additional print job tracking software to provide even more detailed printing and cost data for further insights into our printing usage. We have already implemented software changes like, defaulting to mono i.e. black/white (reducing colour ink usage) for any print job, duplex (double-sided) is default for any print job sent to a photocopier and any print job with a large amount of pages is automatically redirected to our reprographics facility for cost saving purposes.

100%

Sustainable paper is sourced for all our printing requirements.

1 Tree

Planted for every 8,000 sheets of paper that we order.