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Cartridge World Newmarket is Moving!

What is cartridge or toner re-manufacturing? It is reusing and refilling ink and toner printer cartridges so they can be used again.  Used cartridges are collected from consumers and businesses, and sorted by re-manufacturing companies.  The cartridges are disassembled and cleaned and any necessary replacement parts are added.  High quality toner or ink is added and the cartridges are tested and packaged for distribution.

Re-manufactured cartridges contain high quality components, and give excellent printing results.  More than 3 million companies around the world already rely on these quality products for their printing needs.  They trust the quality and reliability of re-manufactured cartridges for their day-to-day printing needs as well as for their most important projects.

Since we opened in July 2005, Cartridge World Newmarket has seen a steady demand for our products and services by consumers and businesses.  We have created a ‘mini’ production facility to re-manufacture all of our toner and ink cartridges on site.  We have grown to such an extent that we will be moving to new premises across the street with almost three times the space that we have now.   We look forward to providing quality cartridges as well as other value added services to our current and new customers.

We are very excited about this move and look forward to welcoming you, on Monday, August 30th! Please come by and visit us at 16640 Yonge Street in Newmarket.  I am anxious for your feedback!

Until next time,

Save money, Save the environment with re-manufactured cartridges!

Karen

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It’s summer and staying in shape is tough with cookouts and hot weather.  So how can you use your time at work to keep trim? Follow these five easy steps:

1. Watch how you sit.

If you’re looking down or up at the screen it’s time to adjust your chair. Ensure your feet are flat, eyes are straight, and knees are bent. Good posture helps keep your energy level and concentration at its highest.

2. Stretch!

On a boring conference call? Throw the phone on speaker and get up and stretch. Your neck, legs, and arms could all use several good stretches throughout the day.

3. Avoid “employee of the month” type parking spaces.

Everyone loves parking up front as much as anyone but parking further from the door and walking an extra hundred feet or so can go a long way. Oh, and while you’re at it, just pretend for now that your office doesn’t have an elevator.

4. Get Mobile

You can also walk around your office and should try to do so at least once every 30-60 minutes. Maybe you decide to use a copy machine that’s a bit further away or walk past the boss’s office so they notice you. Whatever you do, just don’t walk to the vending machine.

5. Stay Hydrated

Another good excuse to walk is to refill your water glass. You should drink TONS of water at work. It will not only keep you alert but did you know drinking lots of water is actually a big part of some of the most popular diet programs? It’s true! Bottoms up.

And when you are out of ink or toner, take a walk to your local Cartridge World store to have your cartridges refilled.

How about you? What are your favorite tips to stay alert and fit at work?  I love getting feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s a plugin that allows you to leave a link back to your own site when you leave a comment!

Until next time, go GREEN and save some GREEN.

Karen

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At Cartridge World, Customer Service is Number 1

A happy client is a pleasure to have, but an ecstatic one is even better.  When you go above-and-beyond to wow your clients, they can become a wellspring of repeat business. They’ll refer new customers to you, and publicly reinforce your reputation to others over and over again.

But how do you turn an ordinary client into a raving fan?  All it takes is a little understanding of their wants and needs – and some creative strategies for exceeding their expectations.  Here are 10 ways to create raving fan customers who give the word-of-mouth marketing that your business needs to succeed.

1.  Customize Your Approach To Their Problems

Learn as much as you can about what has been preventing your clients from getting the results they want in the past, and customize your marketing approach to highlight how you are the perfect solution.  Instead of a typical “here are our services” pitch, present yourself in a way that will make them take notice and say “This is exactly what we’ve been looking for!”

2.  Create A Guide That Positions You As An Authority

Being seen as an authority is a powerful way to deliver the “wow-factor” to your clients that increases their desire to stay loyal to you (as well as the amount of business they bring your way).  Creating a companion guide to your products or services is an excellent way to showcase your experience and to establish your position as a company who is on the leading edge.  Add an extra layer of exclusivity by offering it only to current clients – just one more perk of doing business with you.

3.  Master The Art Of Accessibility

One of the easiest ways to consistently impress your clients is to keep turnaround time on emails and phone calls to a minimum.  In today’s world of poor customer service, having a swift response rate to client inquiries is a powerful way to keep them impressed and away from the competition.  A quick tip on email – even if you can’t address a client’s needs immediately, reply to them and let them know you’ll get back to them soon.  Reinforcing their feeling of being valued gives them another reason to be a customer for life.

4.  Anticipate Their Future Needs

Your clients have a specific idea of where they want their business to go, but they may not be seeing all the options they have available to them.  Talk with them and get a feel for how they plan to grow their business, and offer them advice or services that will make it easier for them to grow.  Then connect them with the people who can help make those things happen.  Open their eyes to ways they can make their business or their offerings stronger down the road, and they won’t forget how valuable it is to keep doing business with you.

5.  Offer A Workshop That Gives Your Clients An Edge

Home improvement stores offer free do-it-yourself workshops to give customers a reason to shop at their store.  Financial planners offer free investment seminars to educate clients on additional service options.  Your business could do the same.  Look at what it is that you sell, and consider the knowledge gaps your clients might have when it comes to choosing options or getting the most out of what they buy.  Then offer a free workshop that closes the knowledge gap, and see just how much more your clients appreciate you.

6.  Ask For Feedback After The Sale

The typical business follows up only when they have something to sell, but you can wow your clients by following up with a request to make their last transaction more satisfying.  A simple phone call or email that follows up with the question “Is there anything we missed? Or, “anything more we could do to make your experience better?” tells your clients that you are 110% committed to making sure they are treated fairly and respectfully – and that you’re not going to settle for letting them get anything less than the best from you.

7.  Present Everything In Terms Of Value, Not Cost

If pre-sales marketing is all about presenting benefits, current-client marketing is all about presenting value.  Each time you communicate with your clients, let them know what they are getting and how it benefits them.  A client who receives “new logo samples,” for instance, is not going to be as impressed as a client who receives a package of “3 logo concepts shown in multiple layouts with original source files for editing.”  Make sure your client understands just how much they are getting with each deliverable, and they will feel their money is well spent.

8.  Reward Client Loyalty With Increasing Bonuses

Keeping clients long-term saves you the time and money of hunting down new ones, so why not pass some of that savings on to them?  Offering clients some sort of bonus or discount periodically, just for sticking with you, is a sure way to impress – especially if the value of that reward keeps increasing.  Whether you choose to give a discount that grows each year, or you throw in a free product or service here and there, these unsolicited gifts will make your clients hard-pressed to go elsewhere.

9.  Give Your Clients Free Publicity

It’s not uncommon to feature your clients’ success on your own website to enhance your reputation, but have you considered boosting their reputation elsewhere?  Consider working them to issue an online press release that showcases their company or have an article written up and submitted to a relevant publication or website.  This “out of the blue” shot of publicity won’t cost you much, but will make the client remember you for life – and in many of their referral-generating conversations as well.

10.  Under-Promise and Over-Deliver – Every Time

The surest way to lock a permanent “wow” into your customer’s mind is simply to exceed their expectations, every time.  Don’t over-promise – be realistic and focused when telling them what you’ll deliver and when they should expect it.  Then go the extra mile to make your deliverable impressive and on time (or better yet, early).  This is simply the easiest way to secure your reputation – the very currency of marketing itself – and virtually guarantee a stream of revenue from your current clients, and the clients they refer to you in the future.

Every great brand carries with it a number of features that give it a marketable “wow factor” – that impression of excellence, commitment and quality that invites clients to pull up a chair and stay forever.  To make your brand great, incorporate these strategies into your everyday marketing plans and share your additional tips in the comments below.  You’ve got what it takes to “wow” your clients every day – it’s time to get to it!

At Cartridge World Newmarket, we go above and beyond for our customers and this has lead to loyal customers and increased sales.

Remember to think green, refill your printer cartridges, save money and help the environment.

How about you? Do you put customer service first?  I’d love your feedback. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. When you leave your comment, you can leave a link back to your own site!

Until next time,

Karen

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  1. Most have more than one life cycle – most inkjet cartridges can be refilled several times before having to purchase a new cartridge.  Laser toner cartridges have components that are replaced in the re-manufacturing process and toner cores can be used many times because of this.
  2. They cannot be recycled in your household trash – Printer cartridges cannot go into the trash as some are made from industrial grade plastics which do not break down in landfill for hundreds of years.  It is best to return your cartridges to an outlet in your neighbourhood who will recycle them for you.
  3. Most cartridges are manufactured outside of North America – It takes a lot of energy to  bring a cartridge to your local big box store.
  4. It takes more resources to produce a new cartridge than to refill an existing cartridge – refilling locally is the most environmentally responsible way to use your printer cartridges.
  5. It is one way to work towards reducing your carbon footprint – if everyone did this could you image the impact?
  6. Re-using helps the environment.
  7. Refilling your cartridges locally helps support local businesses – support the businesses in your community.
  8. You save money! – there are considerable savings when you have your ink or toner cartridges refilled or re-manufactured.  Check with your local refill company.

As always, I love getting your feedback and your input on great ways to save the environment. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s a plug in that allows you to leave a link back to your own site.

Think green and you will save some greenbacks and some green trees!
Until next time,
Karen

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10 Steps to Handling Paper Jams

Have you ever been so frustrated with a paper jam in your printer that you just yank out the paper?  And to add fuel to the fire, your printer won’t work anymore.  Every week or so, we have customers bring their printer in for service due to a paper jam.  So we thought we would publish some great tips and steps to follow when you have a paper jam.

Step 1: Turn the printer off and then back on to see if it can automatically clear some or all of the jam. Many printers provide an error-code listing on the front panel display for the area where the jam occurred. If your printer shows an error code, be sure and check the printer manual to see if that identifies the area of the printer where the jam occurred.  If you can’t find your manual check your manufacturers website for a copy.

Step 2: Turn off the printer.

Step 3: Remove any paper trays. Inspect them for wrinkled or damaged paper.

Step 4: Open any other doors that give access to the printer’s paper path and to the toner or ink cartridge.

Step 5: If necessary, remove the toner or ink cartridge. Place it in a bag or away from light to avoid damaging it.

Step 6: If you find a piece of  jammed paper, remove it by holding it with both hands and pulling firmly (no yanking). The goal is to keep the paper from tearing. If several pieces are jammed together, try pulling out the middle piece first to loosen the jam.

Step 7: If the paper does tear, try rotating the roller gears manually to free the paper.  Don’t force anything, though.

Step 8: Replace the toner or ink cartridge and paper trays, close any doors you opened and turn the printer back on.

Step 9: If the printer paper jam message still appears, then there is still some paper in the printer. Re-inspect the paper path.

Step 10: If all fails, contact a local repair centre for assistance.

It is important to store your paper flat. Keep if free of humidity and fan your paper before you place it in the printer. Do you know why?

Reduce your carbon footprint.  Only print documents that are really necessary and have your printer cartridges refilled or remanufactured locally.

How about you? Have you had a costly repair due to improperly trying to clear a paper jam?  I’d love to get your feedback. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s a plugin whereby you can leave your comment and a link back to your own site!

Until next time, be green and save some green!

Karen

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What Side of the Fence do You Sit on?

Is the recycling practiced by the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers e.g. HP, Canon, etc) or the recycling practiced by the remanufacturing industry more beneficial to society and the environment?

Currently both OEM’s (original equipment manufacturers, HP, Canon, etc) and remanufacturing companies co-exist globally and so do their respective recycling programs.  But OEM’s and the remanufacturing industry will always remain on opposite sides of the fence.  It is for society to arrive at a conclusion as to which one is a better recycling option.  An option that is economical, environmentally friendly and benefits society at large without compromising on both quality and output has to be selected.  The recycling option that the customers and society eventually choose will be determined more by an environmental need than simply an economic need.

To the credit of OEMs, they have initiated cartridge-recycling programs.  The degree to which those programs are successful and the extent to which they have been implemented, depends on the seriousness of the individual OEMs and the investment that they have made in creating this awareness.

The OEMs can claim that they are ensuring zero waste by recycling all usable parts of the cartridge and ethically disposing of the unusable parts but eventually, the customer does not get any cost benefit from the OEM recycling other than the miniscule discounts periodically offered to return the ‘empties’ to the OEMs.

Secondly, in recycling the OEM way, customers still end up using new resources although some recycled parts are used in the fresh cartridges they supply.  Every time the cartridge comes back to the customer, there is some degree of additional plastic, metal, etc, which gets used.

Thirdly, each cartridge is used just once before it goes back to the OEM recycling plant and there is the energy cost of sending that empty cartridge back to the recycle centre.

On the other hand, when recycling is done the remanufacturing way, the customer can stay local and reap huge cost benefits.  The cartridges, especially the toner cartridges, can be reused multiple times.  The remanufacturing industry helps support old and obsolete printers, which the OEMs have stopped supporting.  This greatly helps in extending hardware life and reducing e-waste.

Keeping cartridges local and having them remanufactured is a great way for society to reduce their carbon footprint.

Currently both OEMs and the remanufacturing industry co-exist globally and so do their respective recycling programs. The remanufacturing industry was born out of an economic need – a crying need – by customers to reduce their recurring consumable costs.  The recycling option that the customers and society eventually choose will be determined more by an environmental need that simply an economic need.

Cartridge World currently hs 1,700 locations globally.  Search for one in your area and start reaping the benefits of re-using your printer cartridges.

Which side of the fence do you sit on? I’d love to get your feedback. Here on my blog site, you will get commentluv. That’s a plug-in for bloggers. If you leave a comment, you can also leave a link back to your own blog. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. I love hearing from everyone.

Until next time, go green and save some green!

Karen

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Hello there again readers.  I stumbled across this article in one of our trade magazines, found it interesting, so I am passing it along.  Enjoy!

Hello there again readers.  I stumbled across this article in one of our trade magazines, found it interesting, so I am passing it along.  Enjoy

A recent report estimated that more than 7 trillion e-mails were sent worldwide last year.  Spam messages are jamming in-boxes across the globe and the average office worker now gets between 60-200 messages a day.  While no one denies the obvious productivity gains we’ve realized from the efficiencies of e-mail communication, many people find themselves drowning in all these messages.

Here are 8 tips that will make your e-mail communication more effective.

1. Practice being clear and concise with your message.

  • You’ll save time and your reader will appreciate it,
  • Consider using bulleted points to clearly express your thoughts,
  • Everyone has a different style of how they intake info,
  • Email communication works best if you outline the points you are trying to get across in an easy to understand format.

Investing extra time while authoring e-mail pays big dividends by giving your reader a clear understanding of your message.  Remember, if your e-mail is written with the purpose to educate, inform or persuade, then making sure to get your point across is even more critical.

With the sheer volume of e-mail messages most business people receive, there’s an inverse relationship between the volume of test and successfully making the point.  Most people will immediately read and understand a ten sentence e-mail.  Send them a 10,000 word document and they’ll likely scan the highlights, save it for later and you risk it not being read fully.  People appreciate brevity.  Remember if your objective is to tell the reader what time it is, you don’t need to explain how to build a clock!

2. Before sending, always reread your message and double check for grammar and misused words.

It’s obvious to most of us to use spell check after we’ve composed our message.  You should also make it standard procedure to reread your entire message before sending.  Often times, you’ll notice words which have been left out, grammar that’s incorrect and worst of all – words which our spilled write butt knot used inn the write weigh (NOTE, THAT THIS LAST SENTENCE RUNS THROUGH THE SPELL CHECKER PERFECTLY)!  How many times have you caught something too late, making your only option to curse at your spell-checking software!

3. Copy back salient points when replying to an earlier message.

Most people receive hundreds of e-mails every week.  When you combine that with face to face meetings and phone calls, it’s dangerous to assume your recipient will remember your earlier exchange.  Which of these messages has the greater chance of reader confusion?  It is frustrating when someone sends you an-email with a specific answer, but you’re unable to recall the original issue.  This problem is largely avoidable by copying a portion of the original message alluding to the context.

4. Use specific subject line descriptions.

Since many e-mail messages go back and forth several times over the course of many weeks, it’s important to accurately describe what the reader will find inside.  Considering the level of spam and anti-spam software in place today, you can’t afford to risk your message not being delivered because of a generic or poorly worded subject line.

5. Practice the 24-hour rule when you’re upset.

It is never a good idea to send an e-mail when you’re angry.  We’ve all been guilty of this.  In the heat of the moment we type up a literary bombast.  A message that will reduce the recipient to mush.  We even reread it, and we’re actually sort of proud of how powerful the wording is.  We imagine that recipient opening and cringing as he/she reads our words.  Then we send it.

Only later, after we calm down, we revisit the message and realize that we dramatically overreacted.  But it’s too late to do anything now, except apologize and try to mend fences.  This is more common than you think.

If you compose an e-mail in anger, wait a predetermined period of time before sending it.  If your emotions are legit, then your issue will still be there tomorrow.  But in 95 percent of the cases, you’ll be glad you waited and toned things down after you’ve gained the perspective that can only come with some additional time.

6. Avoid sh-cuts and abbr. in biz e-mail msgs.

Anyone with a teenager knows you practically need a decoder chart to understand the abbreviations and shortcuts  that are popular in e-mail, papers, text messages and instant messages.  These cutesy short cuts and misspellings are ill advised to use in any corporate context, regardless of whether your customer is external or internal.  Even common shortcuts like LOL (laughing out loud) BRB (be right back), 2 (to) and u r (you are) are simply too casual for most business communication.  What’s hip to one sender can be read as flip and disrespectful by another reader.  Since a casual message to a co-worker could easily be forwarded, it’s best to practice the same high level or professionalism no matter whom you’re writing to.

7. Don’t forward viral messages

Unlike obvious computer viruses that involve actual destructive code, many messages are viral in nature, in that they are purposefully crafted so you’ll send them on to friends with the idea that you weren’t positive if this was real, but wanted to be sure that they saw it just in case!  Although not usually harmful, these e-mails prey on normally smart individuals desire to inform others.

Everyday, intelligent people who would never consider themselves gullible forward on hoax messages.  If you are the recipient of an e-mail message you think is relevant to your friends and family, run it by this test:  Copy and paste a few words from the message into Google.com along with the word “hoax”.  If the returns come back showing articles claiming the message is a fake, save everyone in your address book some time by hitting the delete key!  The same rule applies to jokes and pictures, which would be deemed as inappropriate by your employer.

While there may not be a silver bullet that saves us from an onslaught of never ending messages, common sense practices can make our business e-mail correspondence more effective and productive every working day.

How about you? Do you have a story to share?  On my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s a plug-in for bloggers. If you leave a comment, you can leave a link back to your own blog. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. I’d like to hear from everyone!

Until next time,

Karen

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How to Purchase A Printer

6 Great Questions to Ask Yourself Before Purchasing Your Printer

If you are looking for a new printer, the task can be daunting with so many makes and models to choose from.

When it comes down to buying a printer, the real key is finding the best printer for your needs. And how do you find the best printer for you? Ask questions! Here are 6 great questions to ask yourself in order to find the absolute best printer for all of your printing needs.

1. Black or Color? If you intend to print black text and don’t ever need color, then a laser printer would be your best bet.  The cost per page is considerably less, usually they print quicker than an inkjet, they are quieter and the copy is crisp and clean.

If you like to print photos and other color documents, then choose an inkjet printer.

2. Do you need a multifunction printer or not? Nowadays you can buy printers that scan, copy and fax. Will you need your printer to perform any of those things? If not, then it will not be a factor you need to consider. If they are, then Multi-function capabilities are available in both laser and inkjet printers.

3. What are you going to use the printer for? If you have a need for one particular function in a printer, first look at printers that address that need. For instance, if you want scanning capability, first look for printers that can scan and then look at the printing capabilities.  So consider the printer’s primary function.  Here are some common printer uses, usage levels and the type of printer that may suit you best:

  • Light everyday home use: occasional printing, mainly text, maps for directions, a few photos here and there, choose a basic entry level inkjet printer.
  • Heavy home use (Or home office, light office): High number of pages; still mainly text or no photo images, chose a monochrome laser printer.  If color is needed, then a good fast inkjet printer and if budget is not a factor,  then opt for an entry level color laser.
  • Home photo printing: Uses a few mainstream paper sizes, print family photos, cards, scrap-booking but nothing in high volume, choose an entry to medium level photo printer.
  • Professional photo printing: High quality photo printing, try a high end photo printer.
  • Printing marketing materials. Small businesses, real estate agents, etc., choose a color laser printer, entry to high level.
  • Heavy office use for mainly text: if black/white is sufficient, choose a fast monochrome laser printer.
  • Heavy office use with also a lot of images and color: a lot of text with graphics, company newsletters, brochures, graphs and presentations, opt for a good high end color laser printer.

4. What is your budget? You can start by coming up with a budget and then try to get the best printer that fits your needs within that budget. A very important consideration is the cost of the printer cartridges as they will be a recurring expense.  Check with your local refill/re-manufacturing company to assure that the cartridges can be refilled.

5. What is the cost of consumables? Find the supply cost of the printer before you buy it.   Some of the newer cartridges have a very small page yield which is very frustrating for some people.  Check the page yield of your cartridge and check to see if an XL yield version is available.

Calculate the cost per page estimation – if the cartridge yield is 300 pages and the price of a cartridge set is $30, then you will average 0.10 per page–and if you print about 200 pages a month you are looking at $20/month cost or more.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Laser printers are less expensive per page (always) especially just black/white lasers, as they are great for heavy printing.
  • Refilled Printer Cartridges are a great alternative to purchasing new all the time.  Choose a reputable refiller/re-manufacturer who offers a 100% quality guarantee such as Cartridge World. Don’t forget – contrary to what printer manufacturers say, it is virtually impossible for a cartridge to damage a printer and using refilled cartridges and aftermarket products will not void your printer warranty (by law).
  • Laser Printer Cartridges. Most of the time, if the model is popular enough, you can find good re-manufactured cartridges. If you do this, buy re-manufactured cartridges that have a new drum, as this will make a big difference.
  • For inkjet printers, most all  HP, Lexmark, Canon, Brother and Epson cartridges can be refilled.

6. What do professionals and consumers have to say? In this day and age, we spend a lot of time and money on our printers so it really is worth it to spend ample time on research. Some good printer review sources you can use include clicking through to some of these sites: Amazon, PC Magazine website, PCWorld Magazine Website, CNET reviews or just Google the printer model and see where it takes you.

If you need a printer recommendation, call Cartridge World Newmarket for some free advice and to check whether your cartridge can be re-used.

Re-using is the most environmentally responsible form of recycling.

How about you? Are you in the market to purchase a new printer? I’d love to get your feedback. And here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s a plugin for bloggers. Leave a comment, and you can provide a link back to your own blog! But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from all of you.

Until next time,

Karen

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We can all make a difference to the environment by addressing the ways in which we live and despite common misconceptions, this doesn’t have to mean dramatic lifestyle changes.  Here are 6 easy suggestions to start with.

  1. Lighten UP – Almost 90% of the power needed to light a traditional incandescent light bulb is used producing heat instead of light.  Compact fluorescent bulbs create far less heat allowing more of the power to be converted to light.  Fluorescent bulbs produce almost four times more light per unit of energy (the replacement for a standard 60 watt bulb typically uses about 18 watts).
  2. Energy Star – Products that display the energy star symbol have been tested according to prescribed procedures and have been found to meet or rate higher energy efficiently levels without compromising performance.  For example, Energy Star appliances, although generally more expensive, are typically anywhere from 10%-20% more energy efficient than regular household appliances.
  3. Invisible Power – The increase in household remote controls and consumer gadgets has had a surprising impact on home energy costs.  In the typical modern home, 5% to 15% of all electricity is consumed needlessly by TV sets, stereos and other devices that are turned off but actually on standby.  For some devices, the energy needed to keep; them on standby can be equal to the amount used when they are turned on.  To reduce this waste, unplug these items.
  4. Take Control – When properly installed, a programmable thermostat can help you save approximately $100 every year in energy costs.  Keeping the thermostat at energy-saving temperatures for longer periods of time can maximize savings, whether it’s during the day when you’re at work or through the night.  A simple reduction in the temperature of your home by 1oc could cut your heating bills by up to 10%.
  5. Tap-in – In pursuit of clean, crisp drinking water, many of us purchase single-serve bottled water.  Unfortunately, the majority of plastic bottles end up in our landfill sites, which is proving to be an ecological disaster.  One alternative is to install a drinking water system under the kitchen sink. These systems are economical, provide high-quality drinking water and eliminate the plastic waste associated with bottled water.
  6. Re-use your Printer Cartridges – Ink and toner cartridges can be used several times.  By taking them to your local refill store you will save a lot of money, reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment.

There are literally hundreds of energy saving ideas for your home from the use of paints and finishes through to landscaping that requires little or no watering.  Take some time to look online for more tips and ideas.  A good starting point is the Natural Resources Canada website at www.nrcan.gc.ca.

How about you? What energy saving devices do you use? I would love your feedback.  Here on my blog, you will get commentluv.  That’s a plugin that allows you to leave a link back to your own blog site!  I look forward to hearing from you.

Go green and save some green!

Karen

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5 Tips to Buying Paper

Earth Day is Thursday! Be Smart About Your Paper Choices!


In my last blog I talked about ways to reduce your paper consumption, here are some stats and tips on purchasing paper.

  • Determine what type of printer you have. Most people own ink-jet printers and most businesses have laser printers.
  • Decide what weight of paper you want. Everyday paper is 20 lb. and works with any printer. The higher the number, the heavier the paper. Card stocks are 60 to 100 lb. or more.
  • Pick ink-jet stock for important projects. The printing is crisper because the paper is smoother and less absorbent.
  • Select photo paper to print pictures on an ink-jet printer. This coated stock is very smooth and somewhat stiff, so the finished prints feel like photographs. Matte photo paper is less shiny than glossy. Buy special archival paper and ink if you’re printing photographs that you’ll want to last a long time without fading.
  • Choose color laser printer paper only if you have a color laser printer. It’s not good for ink-jet printing. Laser prints are more permanent than ink-jet prints, and less likely to run and bleed because they use toner rather than water-based ink.

Did you know?

  • Paper fills up approximately 35% of landfills.
  • 24 trees are cut down to make one ton of virgin printing paper.
  • One ton of paper made from 100% recycled paper (compared to virgin paper), saves the equivalent of 4,100 kilo-watt-hours of energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of carbon emissions and 3 cubic yards of landfill space.

There was once a stigma against recycled paper.  That it was too expensive or of lesser quality.  Many believe that this is no longer the case.  Letterhead, envelopes, business cards and labels are products that can be printed on recycled paper.

Rules of Thumb

  • Buy recycled.  Finding 100 percent, post-consumer content recycled paper is no longer difficult.
  • Buy non-chlorine bleached paper.  Dioxins a byproduct of the chlorine bleaching process are a cancer-causing agent that can cause significant harm to the ecosystems near paper factories.
  • Copy paper isn’t everything.  Letterhead, envelopes, brochures, shipping materials, boxes, envelopes and business cards are all made of paper and can be made to order on recycled, non-chlorine-bleached paper.
  • Buy certified products.  Look for products that are third-party certified.  The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and he Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) provide certification of lumber and paper materials.  For more information and to look for certified products visit their websites at: www.fsc.org and www.sfiprogram.org.

How about you? Do you use recycled paper products?  I’d love to get your feedback. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a plug in that allows bloggers to leave a link back to their own blog. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. I want to hear from everyone!

Go Green and save some Green!

Until next time,

Karen

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