Good Karma Friday: Eco-friendly printing ideas

We all want to do our part to save resources by being conscientious about wasting paper and ink to print e-mails ("I just have to show this funny joke to the guys and gals at work!") and documents and such, but sometimes you really do need a hard copy to hold in your hands. Next time you find yourself in that situation, and it doesn't matter what font you use, try Ecofont from Sprang. It will make you feel a wee bit better about revving up the printer...and it's free!

Ecofont (based on Verdana) is designed to use up to 20% less ink - which is also good for your printer supply budget, too. How does it do this? The tiny 'dot' pattern is actually blank spaces where ink doesn't print.

To make you feel even better, use recycled paper in your printer as often as possible. You can find it at your local office supply store or by searching on "recycled paper" in your favorite browser. Another good source is Conservatree with information for professional and individual paper buyers, how to choose the right paper, papermaking instructions, tips on reducing waste, and much more. I also found recycled paper information in the Eco-Mall with a list of sites for printers, artists, and companies that make paper out of alternative things (even elephant poo - no kidding!).

By the way, I don't recommend using any of your own handmade paper - it's generally a bit too thick!