vvEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation 6202J EPA 430-N-94-010 May/June 1997 For more information on the Energy Star® Office Equipment Program please contact: Energy Star® Office Equipment Program U.S. EPA (6202J) Washington, DC 20460. Phone: In the U.S. Call Toll-Free: 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937) Outside of the U.S. Call: 202 775-6650 Fax: 202 233-9575 E-mail: fanara.andrew @epamail. epa.gov Automated Faxback Line: 202 233-9659 Via Internet: http://www.epa.gov/ energystar.html Paper Efficiency Did you know: the average U.S. office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year; about $3.5 billion is spent annually on paper purchases; and greenhouse gases are released during paper production? We can conserve energy, save money, and help the environment by reducing the amount of paper we use, or increasing paper efficiency. Paper efficiency is making the most productive use of the energy and resources required to produce and transport paper as well as those needed to imprint images on paper. The less paper used to accomplish a task, the more paper efficient it is. EPA is encouraging Partners/Allies to educate their customers and employees about paper efficiency. To help, EPA has developed materials that provide interesting paper facts and figures and suggest ways for offices to become paper efficient. Here are a few examples: Recycled Paper. Organizations can increase their paper efficiency by purchasing paper with recycled content. A recent Wall Street Journal article (April 1997) noted that the Department of Defense, which uses more paper than any other federal agency, has decided to use only recycled paper in its copiers which will save an estimated 150,000 trees a year. In addition to saving trees, the Department of Defense will save energy and prevent air pollution because less energy is required to produce recycled paper than virgin paper. Duplexing. Both the Copier and the Multifunction Device Memoranda of Understanding require high-speed models to have an automatic duplexing feature. Duplexing units are also available for printers, and many new fax machines can accommodate double-sided documents. By duplexing, users can reduce their paper purchasing costs by up to 50 percent. Image Size Reduction. Many copiers have the ability to reduce the size of an image, allowing several images to fit on one page. Another option when using printers and digital copiers is "n-up" printing (e.g., 2-up, two images per side and 4-up, four images per side). N-up printing is ideal for documents with a large typeface. Electronic Communication. Electronic mail is a great way to share information with colleagues and customers. Not only does it save paper, it also improves our ability to track messages and ensure delivery. As e-mail recipients, we should only print those messages that we will need to reference while away from our desks. For more information about paper efficiency, contact the Energy Star® Hotline. Energy Star is a U.S. registered mark. ------- Recycled Paper The federal government is increasing its purchases of recycled copier paper. Several agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice and Energy, have issued agency-wide orders to purchase only copier paper containing 20% post consumer content. Beginning in January 1999, federal agencies will specify paper with a minimum of 30% post consumer content. Partners (and dealers) should be prepared to provide information on the types of recycled paper for use in their imaging products. In the Spotlight Intergovernmental Agreement with EU EPA is considering a proposal from the European Union (EU) to enter into an intergovernmental agreement regarding the Energy Star Office Equipment Program. Any final agreement would involve three parties: the U.S. EPA, Japan, and the EU. The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry has been generally supportive of the concept during initial discussions with EPA. Representatives of the office equipment industry (including individual manufacturers, the Information Technology Industry Council, and the Electronic Industries Association), the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and the Office of the United States "TYade Representative are working with EPA to assess the proposal. Most recently, on April 25, 1997, a meeting was held in Washington, DC to allow manufacturers to express their thoughts and concerns regarding the potential agreement. Both EPA and Office Equipment Partners/Allies agree that one set of internationally recognized energy efficiency specifications, as well as one label, would be beneficial to the program and manufacturers. However, a number of important issues need to be addressed concerning management of the program with three governments involved. EPA is currently waiting for the authority to initiate negotiations with the EU, which may begin in the fall. If you have questions or comments, please contact the Program Manager at 202-233-9019. Energy-Efficient Office Equipment in Thailand Thailand's National Energy Policy Office has provided funding to the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) to promote awareness of Energy Star compliant office equipment, and persuade computer users to enable the PC and monitor power management features. A recent study indicates that while most PCs and monitors sold in the Thai market have power management features, only 10 percent have these features enabled during operation (Energy Efficiency of Office Equipment in Commercial Buildings: The Case of Thailand). Some of the activities undertaken by the IIEC include distributing materials at major computer exhibitions, completing a mass mailing to managers and computer specialists in over 600 private and government organizations, and coordinating with the Computer Association of Thailand to provide information about energy efficiency and Energy Star labeled products in its publications. The Thailand Environment Institute has recently approved the IIEC's proposal to include PCs and monitors in the Institute's Green Label Program for Thai consumer products. One important requirement for the Green Label will be shipping products with the power management features activated. StarBytes May/June 1997 — 2 ------- Get Your Message Across... By using fun, catchy phrases that your audience will remember. The following are some examples that EPA has developed to help Partners/Allies promote paper efficiency and energy efficiency. Second Impressions Count! Be Two-Faced Today! Be Wise, Use Both Sides It Pays to Repeat Yourself Breathe Easier with Energy Star Sleeping on the Job Can Save the Earth JS'k S-p-r-e-a-d-i-n-q t.h.e W.o.r. Energy Star in the Land Down Under The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) in New South Wales, Australia has used Energy Star as a model for developing its office equipment energy efficiency program. The SEDA program is a pilot that is expected to be implemented on a national level at a later date. SEDA's goal is to work with users and the office equipment industry to activate the power management features on existing products (purchased within the last two years) and to ensure that new equipment is delivered with the features enabled. According to SEDA, Energy Star compliant office equipment has the potential to save $AU 25 million in energy bills and eliminate the emission of 227,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (COz) each year in New South Wales. SEDA was established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New South Wales. Partners and Allies can visit SEDA on the Web at http://www.seda.nsw.gov.au. EPA's Animated Outlet Spot As announced in the March/April issue of Star Bytes, Blockbuster Entertainment Inc. is currently showing a brief video in approximately 3,500 video stores nationwide. The 30- second spot, which includes an animated wall outlet and an Energy Star compliant monitor, explains the impact of wasted energy on the environment and the benefits of using Energy Star labeled products. EPA would like to know if Office Equipment Partners and Allies are interested in including this public service announcement in their outreach plans. For example, the video could be displayed during an internal meeting/training session or on a closed circuit television. Anyone who is interested should contact the Program Manager by phone at 202- 233-9019 or by fax at 202-233-9575. Please be prepared to discuss how you plan to use the video, including who will see it, where/when it will be shown, and in what context it will be displayed. Partners/Allies will not be permitted to alter the contents of the video (without first receiving permission from EPA), and will not be permitted to use it to imply general EPA endorsement of their products. 1 StarBytes May/June 1997 — 3 ------- Program News ffl> Large Format Copiers EPA is in the process of revising the large format specifications in the Copier MOU. After discussions with several manufacturers, EPA has agreed that it is preferable to establish large format copiers as a separate group of products in the MOU (i.e., separate specifications for standard-sized copiers and large format models) due to their different usage patterns and energy consumption requirements. The definitions and technical requirements will be similar to those developed for the large format models in the Multifunction Device MOU. To avoid confusion among Copier Partners, a Version 2.0 Copier MOU will be issued that includes: (1) new large format specifications as agreed to by EPA and Partners (i.e., Version 2.0 is being developed instead of issuing a second amendment for large format copiers) and (2) the Tier 2 revisions already provided in Amendment #1. The Version 2.0 Copier MOU is tentatively scheduled to be effective on July 1, 1997, or shortly thereafter. Please note that the development of Version 2.0 does not change the July 1, 1997 effective date for the Tier II standard-sized copier specifications as provided in Amendment #1. FIRST CLASS MAIL Postage and Fees Paid EPA G-35 &EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mail Code 6202J Washington, DC 20460 OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300 ------- |