Environmental Leader

Xerox has launched a sustainability calculator that measures the overall impact a company’s printers and copiers have on the environment. It then measures the environmental benefits that could be achieved in terms of energy and paper use, solid waste, water, air and greenhouse gas emissions.

Northrop Grumman says the calculator and Xerox’s consulting services helped it save 27 percent in energy usage, 26 percent in greenhouse gas emissions and 33 percent in solid waste.

It’s not just for Xerox tech either. You can track printers, copiers and multifunction devices from other companies.

For offices that want a quick assessment of their environmental footprint, a scaled-down version of the calculator launched today on Xerox’s Web site. The assessment provides how-to tips and advice on ways to make offices greener.

Xerox says it uses a proprietary algorithms to deliver data about a company’s entire fleet of office products. The calculator can also provide information on the impact of printing on two sides or using different types of papers.

After the initial analysis that generates a sustainability evaluation of their operations, Xerox consulting steps in to create a more energy efficient office environment.

Xerox has a history of looking for sustainable alternatives to the way offices work. In the fall, Xerox began bundling GreenPrint software, which helps cut down on waste in the printing process, with some of its printers. In 2006, Xerox invented a way to make “erasable paper” whose printed text or images last only a day -  so that the paper can be used again and again.