How To Create Sustainable Print Practices Using AWS

Nearly 85% of companies surveyed across the UK, France, Germany, and the US reported accelerated sustainable business practices in 2023, identifying it as a key performance driver. Even more, 27 EU countries have committed to achieving a goal of zero emissions by 2050 as part of the European Green Deal. Though there are many ways to go green, the most effective strategies relate to environmentally friendly printing practices, such as reducing print waste, adopting digital workflows, and using paper from certified sources.

70% of EU and US surveyed companies say digitization of paper-based processes is critical to achieving sustainability goals, while another 75% say the same about cloud adoption.

If you haven’t guessed yet, your legacy print servers are harming the environment—and the future of your business. Don’t worry, we’ll explain how the switch to a cloud-native print solution like Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows you to reduce energy consumption and paper waste, promote digital workflows, and support a greener planet.

The average office employee prints 34 pages per day, yet 14% of those pages never get picked up from the printer. Those forgotten pieces of paper add up quickly, with the average company wasting 1,400 pages of paper per employee every year.

But print servers don’t just waste paper. They also drive up energy costs and waste valuable time and money. Inefficient processes mean more helpdesk tickets, more work for your IT team (up to 90% more than serverless printers), and less time spent on important, value-adding initiatives.

Even if you’ve implemented environmentally friendly practices in other areas of your business, print servers may counteract those efforts because of their enormous carbon footprint. In fact, on-premise servers powered by non-green electricity are almost 30% less efficient than cloud servers.

If you’re looking for one of the most effective and efficient ways to improve your sustainability efforts, it’s time to eliminate print servers and move your print management to AWS. As the world’s most comprehensive cloud platform, AWS offers streamlined print services that reduce your carbon footprint.

AWS has utilized 90% renewable energy since 2022 and is committed to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2025. Businesses that adopt AWS print management can join this movement, rapidly increasing efficiency and reducing the energy needed to operate.

Here are just a few of the benefits of eliminating print servers with AWS:

• Lower Energy Consumption

AWS infrastructure is 4.1 times more energy efficient than on-premise data centers and has the potential to reduce your carbon footprint by 99%. AWS helps you easily identify and remove underutilized printers to reduce overall energy consumption. Then, tools like PrinterLogic can further optimize printer placement and quantity by analyzing printer usage data.

• Reduce Paper Waste

Making the switch to AWS offers immediate ROI, helping reduce paper use by up to 50%. Reporting capabilities allow you to identify and eliminate inefficient print practices across all network-connected printers. Meanwhile, features like default duplex printing allow you to enforce sustainable printing practices by setting all printers to double-sided printing or limiting color printing. Pull printing and print quotas ensure only essential print jobs get released, limiting excessive printing and encouraging mindful usage.

• Promote Digital Alternatives

Tools like AWS and PrinterLogic also reduce the need for printing by enabling digital workflows for certain tasks. For example, end users can create digital files for forms, contracts, and more to capture and organize data easily. Drag-and-drop tools make it easy to create forms in seconds, while mobile scanning and integrated capture offer seamless digitization of paper documents. These digital alternatives don’t just save paper—they also accelerate response times, enhance visibility, and improve the end user experience. 

Businesses worldwide are committed to sustainable practices, which increase their competitive edge and promote a brighter future for our planet. If you’re ready to reduce your carbon footprint, start by switching to AWS print management and Vasion.

Discover the future of serverless printing. Get in touch with Vasion today to enjoy the simplicity and sustainability of centralized print automation combined with advanced features tailored to your needs.