It seems pretty rare in this day and age for companies to really stand behind the “go green” philosophy. After all, no matter how nice it may sound from the outside, it usually ends up costing more, right? Well, not necessarily, and a number of “green activities” are becoming common practice for small business owners. One of theseis eco-friendly .

What, exactly, qualifies as eco-friendly? Sure, online printing might reduce your carbon footprint, since you won’t have to drive to and from a local print shop, but the fact that the papers still have to be delivered to you from the online printing company will quickly balance this out. However, many of the environmentally conscious online printing services do something more. From using 100 percent recycled paper to utilizing soy based inks, various tactics will ensure that your printing project is environmentally friendly.

As nice as this may sound to some business owners, the bottom line remains the biggest concern. Can this be done profitably? The good news is that online printing services will save money when contrasted with local print offices, even after you calculate shipping, which is often waived for bulk orders. So as long as you plan ahead, you can go green while saving money. One thing to remember, though, is that a company’s reputation is even more important in a scenario where online support may be all that you have.

Another tip for reducing your environmental impact while printing is to make sure that you do your orders in bulk. This reduces additional waste when it comes to shipping, and it can usually save you more money. The ultimate goal for any environmentally conscious company should be to go “paperless,” an objective which may not be practical for every aspect of business just yet. However, it’s a goal that’s worth having.