According to statistics, for instance every citizen in Germany uses around 240 kilos of paper a year.(2) That corresponds to an average CO2 pollution of 250 kilos per person.(3) For comparison: this is similar to the CO2 emissions of a 4x4 vehicle over a distance of 1000 kilometres.(4) Sharp’s new eco-driver will enable users to retain a better overview of their paper consumption in future, thereby helping to reduce emissions and costs.(5)

A pop-up window showing the recommended settings for environment-friendly printing appears at each print job, thereby motivating the user to save paper. A status display also shows the number of pages currently saved so that
each user can draw up his very own “eco-balance” at the end of the month.

The attractively designed user interface permits multi-page documents to be printed either on both sides or with up to four pages on one side of the paper with just a single mouse click. A combination of the two print options is also possible. “These simple actions have a huge impact and can now be carried out without complicated driver configurations. If, for example, you print a three-page document in duplex and 2-pages-on-1-side mode, you have already achieved a paper saving of 67 per cent,” says Hiroshi Sasaoka, CEO Sharp Electronics Europe.

The eco-driver not only makes it easier to cut paper consumption, it also reduces toner use. Every document which is not required to be printed in colour can very easily be printed in B/W by pressing the appropriate button in the pop-up window.

“Sharp is committed to being a responsible role model to encourage sparing use of natural resources in the interests of the environment. Intelligent solutions such as the Sharp eco-driver are an expression of this philosophy,” Sasaoka continues.

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(1) According to "Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e. V. (BUND – Friends of the Earth Germany)
(2) According to Friends of the Earth Germany
(3) Cf. information at http://www.initiative-papier.de/docs/Nachhaltigkeitsrechner_aktiv.pdf, relating to virgin fibre paper  
(4) Cf. information at http://www.dekra.de/de/817
(5) Supported Sharp products: MX-C310/311/380/381, MX2301/2600/3100/4100/4101/5000/5001,
MX-M623/753, MX-M283/363/453/503, MX-B381

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Sharp’s Environmental Engagement

With its global environment strategy, Sharp has made environmental protection an integral part of its corporate culture. What we call the Sharp Super Green Strategy covers the production of energy-saving and energy-generating products in ecologically advanced plants, along with responsible recycling. One of the company's main aims on the road to becoming an "environmentally advanced company" is to significantly reduce both direct and indirect CO² emissions in our operations and products. Throughout the world, Sharp has defined environmental standards that apply to all our plants and products, and these are being continuously revised and dynamically improved.
You can find more information about Sharp's environmental activities on the Sharp Green Site at http://www.sharp.eu/sharp/apps/eu/green_site/green_site.html.