Printers are getting cheaper all the time – but printer ink is still priced at a hefty premium. Here are 3 great tips to save ink, save paper, and save the world all at the same time.
1. How to optimize a web page for printing
Ever print a web page only to find your printout is full of ads, empty space and other junk you don’t want? PrintWhatYouLike is a free web page editor that gives you control of how web pages look when printed. All you need to is:
- Enter the url of a page you wish to print
- Edit the page until it contains only what you want to print
- Print It! Only your modified page will be printed
There is nothing to download- everything runs in your browser, and it takes just a few clicks to remove the backgrounds or images. Feel free to have a go at it as all changes are undoable. You can even combine multiple web pages together – edit and print them as one document!
2. How to pick the best font for printing
Ecofont is a project to optimize fonts for printing, without sacrificing readability.
Appealing ideas are often simple: how much of a letter can be removed while maintaining readability? After extensive testing with all kinds of shapes, the best results were achieved using small circles. After lots of late hours (and coffee) this resulted in a font that uses up to 20% less ink.
3. How to automate optimization for printing
Greenprint is an interesting piece of freeware that scans through and helps to optimize the print layout. With just a few simple clicks you can automatically tweak it so that you’re not wasting paper and ink. The advantages to this over PrintWhatYouLike.com is that this works for printed materials outside web pages, but the disadvantages of it would be that you would actually need to install something not run it directly off the web.
Do you take steps to save printer ink? Tell us in the comments!
Great article, thanks. I installed the Eco font in XP, then set it as my font in FF 3.03 to see what it looked like. On this page, the regular text is fine, I notice no difference, but the text in the form box is a little weak looking.
But on some other pages, their text is weak looking, while other sites aren’t. I guess it depends on how the set their font in CSS, and I think size matters too (hee hee).
Can you, or any of your readers, think of a way to use normal fonts with FF, but then print using the Eco font? I’m thinking something along the lines of changing the User.css file somewhere deep in the bowels of FF, but it’s been a few upgrades since I’ve done that, I don’t remember which file it is, and where it’s located (XP).
Also, I only know basic CSS, so that whatever font I put in the CSS sheet would be the print font. But I’m vaguely aware of CSS having the ability to print differently than what’s in the browser window, like leaving out nav menus. Perhaps there’s a way to use this “print-only” CSS to change the printing font??
Thanks Shreela for that useful comment. Sorry but my CSS skills are probably worse than yours … perhaps a helpful reader can help out?
I use FinePrint. It works great:
http://www.fineprint.com/
That’s a really great site bryan – thanks for contributing!
that’s awesome and i’m trying the eco fonts.
When I need to print something from the Internet I do the following:
1. Look to see if they have a “Printer Friendly” version. Usually a button at the top or bottom of the page/article.
2. I add the item to Evernote V2. Once the item is in Evernote V2 I can edit out all the garbage. Leaves me with a clean note.
3. When all else fails do a Print Preview, usually under the File toolbar and see what the preview looks like. If it is full of junk then use method 1 or 2.
Andy
Super tips Andy! – thanks for your views
Great post! Its a wonderful tips and advice. You save in many terms; money, paper, ink, and even environment. That’s a big contribution James. Hope to hear from you again soon. Cheers.
Great post!!… I’m giving green print a try..
For any printer try InkSaver.com. They give a 2 week tryout and you can set the amount of ink to use for the application you need. I have used this wonderful program for over 4 years as you only need 100% ink use for photo printing.I also have been able to use it on Lasers useing FinePrint as the middle program then it goes to the printer.
Thanks for the quick tip Tom!
Interesting article, i sahll download that app immediately, thanks.
this is interesting. thank you for the information. please read this for more tips regarding ink saving
http://www.myofficeportal.org/how-to-save-your-open-ink-cartridges.htm