FAYETTEVILLE/FORT SMITH - It doesn't seem normal to stick crayons into a copy machine, but that's just what the Fayetteville Chamber has to do. The newest technology uses ink sticks instead of traditional toner. 5NEWS shows you their lean green machine.
"We have been trying to green our office," Chamber president Steve Clark told 5NEWS. "We have policies in place about waste and paper copying on both sides."
This was the logical next step. The Xerox Color Qube uses ink sticks that amount to giant crayons inserted into the copier/printer. The four blocks are melted and sprayed onto the paper. Clark says they want to be a leader in environmental responsibility.
"We got the first one I believe in the area. It has worked wonderfully for us it has given us greater capability its reduce cost," Clark said.
While the equipment itself comes at a high price (upwards of 15 grand), many businesses choose to lease it for much less--a few hundred a month. Money is saved when you only pay for what you print. Meters inside the machine read and record use. Clark says it's afforded them greater flexibility, giving the chamber the capability to do in-house printing they couldn't before. It can do everything your regular office equipment can do combined and maybe more.
"It prints, network prints, it faxes it scans, scans to email," Kelly Smith, the owner of Dixie Digital Imaging in Fort Smith explained.
At its lowest level, the copier can print color for less than one cent a page. Two higher quality settings cost about 3 and 8 cents respectively.
Let's say you print an average of 22,000 pages a month over the course of 4 years with a regular laser printer you'll end up with 815 pounds of waste. Compare that to 88 pounds of Color Qube over the same course of time; it's 90% less at the landfill. That's about as green as it gets; for current technology at least.
The Color Qube debuted earlier this spring, but has just arrived in Arkansas. Xerox claims it uses 9 percent less energy and leaves a 10 percent smaller carbon footprint.
"We have been trying to green our office," Chamber president Steve Clark told 5NEWS. "We have policies in place about waste and paper copying on both sides."
This was the logical next step. The Xerox Color Qube uses ink sticks that amount to giant crayons inserted into the copier/printer. The four blocks are melted and sprayed onto the paper. Clark says they want to be a leader in environmental responsibility.
"We got the first one I believe in the area. It has worked wonderfully for us it has given us greater capability its reduce cost," Clark said.
While the equipment itself comes at a high price (upwards of 15 grand), many businesses choose to lease it for much less--a few hundred a month. Money is saved when you only pay for what you print. Meters inside the machine read and record use. Clark says it's afforded them greater flexibility, giving the chamber the capability to do in-house printing they couldn't before. It can do everything your regular office equipment can do combined and maybe more.
"It prints, network prints, it faxes it scans, scans to email," Kelly Smith, the owner of Dixie Digital Imaging in Fort Smith explained.
At its lowest level, the copier can print color for less than one cent a page. Two higher quality settings cost about 3 and 8 cents respectively.
Let's say you print an average of 22,000 pages a month over the course of 4 years with a regular laser printer you'll end up with 815 pounds of waste. Compare that to 88 pounds of Color Qube over the same course of time; it's 90% less at the landfill. That's about as green as it gets; for current technology at least.
The Color Qube debuted earlier this spring, but has just arrived in Arkansas. Xerox claims it uses 9 percent less energy and leaves a 10 percent smaller carbon footprint.
