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In the annals of green IT practices, this is one that is often (perhaps justifiably) overlooked: Changing your font can save big bucks.
The University of Wisconsin at Green Bay announced this week that it was switching fonts to save money, from Arial to Century Gothic.
From the story:
[The University] says that while the change sounds minor, it will save money on ink when students print e-mails in the new font.
Diane Blohowiak is the school's director of computing. She says the new font uses about 30 percent less ink than the previous one.
That could add up to real savings, since the cost of printer ink works out to about $10,000 per gallon.
That's nothing to sneeze at, to be sure. Except for that little part about printing emails.
Who prints emails these days? Why not just disable that function? With the exception of things like concert tickets, boarding passes, and so on, what needs to be printed? And while I'm five years from my last stint in higher education, I'm guessing students don't need to turn in hard-copies of papers anymore.
Another, probably more impactful tool for university officials who want to go green: Buy and install printing optimization software that removes unnecessary images, cuts HTML headers from web pages, and prevents printing those one-line or blank pages that so often make their way into printouts.
If you're already thinking about switching fonts, why not consider the "eco-font"? By incorporating tiny holes into each character, the company behind ecofont says it saves 25 percent or more of the ink over traditional fonts. A blown-up letter in Spranq eco-font is above and to the right; a comparison of all three fonts in question is below. (And for god's sake, stop printing your emails...)
A one dimensional analysis is not entirely accurate.
Where are the savings? 12 point Arial requires 3-3/16" to print the above article when copied to word. On the other hand, Century Gothic takes 3-5/8" to print the same document when copied to word. So over time less ink, but potentially more paper when one's text is required to flow beyond one page or when printing a large document that inherently requires more pages because of the font switch. A one dimensional analysis is not entirely accurate.
More paper vs less ink? What's greener?
You saved me from having to check out the space needed myself. It seems like a huge oversight by the author, considering it's right there in front with the font comparison graphic.
University Printing
I'm a professor, and although I require electronic submissions, I am in a tiny minority. And of those who do require electronic submissions, a large number *then* print them. I have to admit, I'm sympathetic. Grading is more easily accomplished with a pen than it is on the computer. I still use the computer, because there are other advantages, but grading (and reviewing) goes far more quickly with pen and ink on dead trees. So, despite the environmental issues, many faculty are actually making a pretty cogent decision about appropriate technology use in this case. Again, my choice to go all electronic is anomalous.
What I'm shocked by is how much printing students do. They seem to print the most ridiculous things, and sometimes multiple times. About half the printing done on campus is printed and then immediately discarded. It seems to me that the most obvious thing to do is to price printing based on the amount of ink used, and then leave it to students & faculty to change the fonts.
Printing
I'm still a student and I've learned long ago to print out copies of important emails. I'm only given so much space in my university mailbox. Also every professor I have requires a printout of papers. It's easier for them to mark up the papers and they don't have to deal with different formats.
Printing
I'm currently an undergrad. THe funny thing is that not only do we still have to turn in hardcopies, but most of my teachers require me turn in an electronic copy into the online dropbox. It's a bit ridiculous.
Still printing out hard copies
I still am an undergrad and every single professor I've had has required a hard copy of paper. Grading papers is not very easy for professors who grew up and were educated in the non-computer age. Do you think the university would have done this if students were not printing papers and other documents out?
You make no sense. From
You make no sense.
From University switch:
"She says the new font uses about 30 percent less ink than the previous one."
From your recommendation (ecofont):
"the company behind ecofont says it saves 25 percent or more of the ink over traditional fonts"
30 > 25. Seems like the uni went with the superior font already installed on their computers...
Furthermore, you say:
"And while I'm five years from my last stint in higher education, I'm guessing students don't need to turn in hard-copies of papers anymore."
The truth is that academia moves incredibly slowly and only a modest percentage of classes use online submission. Certainly, even in the limited exposure I had in undergrad of the behind the scenes action of departments but much of the communication definitely blends emails with traditional printout, handouts, and memos.
Ultimately your calling to attention of a relatively simple, free method is good, and your additional suggestions regarding intelligent printing should be encouraged, but your unreasonable assumptions and illogical criticism mask the truths in your article.