Super Eco

I just changed the ink on my printer. It was a laborious process that took me about an hour of struggle, 8 different ink cartridges, and several restarts and print head cleanings. What ticked me off was having to change a rainbow of 7 colors even though I only print in black. There is something seriously wrong with this picture.

It's true, I could recycle my empty cartridges. I would get back about a dime but it's not about the money. It's about keeping the things out of the landfill. But most cartridge recylers understandably are looking for volume. So even though I now have 8 sitting here on the table mocking me, it's not enough. I need to band together with friends. Many organizations routinely collect cartridges; check with schools, employers, and other organizations near you for their printer ink cartridge recycling program. And if they don't have one, start one yourself! Some recyclers will even plant a tree on your behalf.

But that still doesn't help me. I want to use LESS ink. That's where Ecofont comes in. Ecofont uses less ink because the characters in the font have tiny un-inked circles in them. Our eyes make up for and fill in the difference. Ecofont may not be practical for some uses, but for everyday printing on something you'll maybe recycle again anyway? It's perfect.

I'm thinking that if I go with Ecofont plus a viable community cartridge recycling plan, I will almost enjoy my next ink-changing experience. I'll let you know.

(Photo credit: SXC)