IN A WORLD that's becoming increasingly "green," I often find myself fed up with the environmentally-motivated campaigns against convenience that are pushed on students and citizens alike. Hardly a week goes by without some e-mail or poster imploring me to express my "environmental responsibility" or reduce my "carbon footprint" by taking cold showers or studying by candlelight. It can get a bit ridiculous. The printing situation in the University's libraries, however, poses an issue that can be addressed at the benefit of both the environment and student convenience. The libraries' printers do not feature an easy way to print documents "double-sided," and consequently they force students into making an impractical and energy-inefficient decision when printing documents. The University's libraries should install printers capable of duplex printing in order to reduce both the inconvenience to students and theenvironmental price of print jobs.
Alderman and Clemons are two of the most accessible and commonly used libraries on Grounds. The two buildings are located near class buildings and dining halls,ideal places to print documents and papers before heading off to class. However, neither of these libraries have public printers capable of printing in duplex. Melvin Woodward of the University's Printing and Copying Service reports that while there are copiers scattered throughout libraries on Grounds with duplex capability, "some [libraries] have chosen not to take advantage of this option." Duplex capability in areas like the Music and Health Services Libraries is a start, but the University should provide this feature in the heavily-trafficked and central Clemons and Alderman libraries as well.
The PCS uses EnergyStar rated machines, which are more efficient than regular printer/copiers, and uses recycled paper as well to defray the environmental impact of print jobs. Though Woodward warns that the cost of installing duplex-capable machines will ultimately cost the PCS money, more must be done to outfit students with efficient printing. Consider the energy expended in the production of the paper itself and the energy of printing your document, and the scale of the problem will come into focus. Making one ton of copy paper produces over 19,000 gallons of waste water, according to GreenPrint, an eco-friendly printing company. First on a list on how to conserve energy and resources in the printing process is double-sided printing. The amount of paper used is reduced along with the energy expended. By making the option available in popular, frequently-used printing areas like the Alderman lobby, the University could make taking care of the environment that much easier. The double-sided printing option would enable students to make a responsible decision about the environment if they so choose.
The libraries exist to serve students and faculty, and the pricing of print jobs should reflect that goal of service. Though Woodward states, "Those who want duplex printing are encouraged to send their jobs to one of the copiers located in the libraries that support duplex printing and not to the printer," this is somewhat difficult for students. Busy schedules often prohibit long detours to less centralized libraries. More importantly, the fact that the exact location of these copiers cannot be pinpointed by the circulation desks or administrations of either Clemons or Alderman libraries does not bode well for the individual student; duplex printing should be a convenient and accessible option, rather than one sequestered away in remote printers or copiers.
There are few things more anxiety-inducing than trying to print fifty pages of a reading in the five minutes before discussion and watching every one of them slowly slip out of the printer. The final product is similarly frustrating, though for different reasons. While it is bad enough to have to keep track of the plethora of readings, assignments, and assorted documents that professors post on Toolkit, it becomes more of a headache when each of these items is a hefty packet that you could not manage to drive a staple all the way through. Trying to stuff one of these two-inch-thick monstrosities into a folder or portfolio is akin to trying to retrieve the string from inside the hood of a sweatshirt: It just does not want to cooperate. Printing double-sided can prevent both of these annoyances, allowing for more convenient and efficient production and organization of the countless documents one amasses over the course of the semester.
I do not consider myself environmentally conscious. As far as double-sided printing goes, it seems like a no-brainer. If the libraries at the University offered accessible double-sided printing, it would conserve more energy and paper than the current system. Students would not have to grapple with thick packets of almost-stapled reading quite so often. The option should be made more readily available to students at public printers in Alderman and Clemons Libraries, because when environmental responsibility is combined with student convenience, everybody wins.
David Infante's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at dinfante@cavalierdaily.com.
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