Abstract
The use of Ecofonts in printing can result in economic savings and lower environmental impact. However, most of the research on the use of Ecofonts focuses on Latin alphabets. Moreover, texts printed with Ecofonts can be perceived as being less legible than those printed with the original typefaces. This study (a) assesses toner use reductions in documents printed with English and Thai Ecofonts, and (b) studies the observers’ perception of texts printed either with Ecofonts or with original typefaces. To achieve this, black pixels were removed from 10 English and 13 Thai typefaces widely used in academia and other media. Visibility and legibility tests, as well as mass analyses tests, were then performed on texts printed with some such typefaces. Results from instrumental measurements and digital image analyses show that the use of Ecofonts reduces toner use of an inkjet printer by up to 28%. The study also proposes a new Ecofont typeface for the Thai language. Visual tests showed that the visual experience of text printed using this Thai Ecofont is satisfactory. Awareness of the benefits of using Ecofonts changes the users’ attitudes towards the printing quality of Ecofont. The removal of black pixels can lead to more sustainable printing, and this simple solution can be extended to other non-Latin languages as part of the global Green Information Technology efforts in South-East Asia.
Highlights
IntroductionMany organisations are exploring alternatives to reduce their use of natural resources and operational costs, as well as methods/techniques that reduce the use of materials with considerable environmental impact [4,5,6,7]
Sustainability can be defined as the balance between the use of natural resources, social engagement and economic capital for the existence of the present and future generations [1].In the graphical communication industry, the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) partnership promotes “sustainable printing” [2], whereas the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)recommends designing products that use less material and energy with recyclability and reusability for a longer life span [3]
The removal of black pixels can lead to more sustainable printing, and this simple solution can be extended to other non-Latin languages as part of the global Green Information Technology efforts in South-East Asia
Summary
Many organisations are exploring alternatives to reduce their use of natural resources and operational costs, as well as methods/techniques that reduce the use of materials with considerable environmental impact [4,5,6,7]. This is fully aligned with the concept of “Green Information Technology”. GIT [8,9], which aims to reduce the use of environmentally harmful materials and to promote the use of recyclable products. Further GIT efforts are underway in other Asian regions, including Thailand
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