My House of Ink

Every year millions of printer cartridges are thrown into the trash causing harmful pollution to the environment however they are disposed.  In order to help the environment, it is important to donate used ink and toner cartridges to recycling agencies.  These cartridges can then be repaired and resold to consumers for additional use.  Remanufactured cartridges save money, create jobs, conserve energy, and offer no real disadvantages. 

To find out where you can recycle your ink and toner cartridges locally, search online or contact your local recycling plant.

When purchasing a new computer, whether as a gift or for yourself, there are a few peripherals which are nice to have in addition to the computer.  First of all, a printer is essential for documents and pictures.  Amongst the various printer brands, I would recommend Hewlett Packard for their quality and reputation.  Be sure to buy some HP ink cartridges as well in addition to the printer.  Speaker systems are great for watching movies, listening to music, or chatting over the internet.  If you want to chat over the internet, a microphone is also necessary.  Microphones are manufactured by hundreds of different brands, but most sound about the same if set up correctly. 

Additional peripherals are available, but need would be based on the individual person.  For example, a person interested in home movies, might want video editing software.

Common amongst all printers is to receive a system warning on your computer that your printer is low on ink and needs a new cartridge.  When you receive this warning, despite what your computer says, do not replace the ink cartridge until you notice a real decrease in print quality.  The printer is designed to monitor the ink levels and often is incorrect about the amount of ink available.  Waiting until you notice a decrease in actual print quality will save you quite a bit of money on ink. 

Printer ink is quite expensive, but depending on the manufacturer of the printer, you can receive a better deal.  Canon printer ink , as well as ink from other well known brands such as Lexmark and HP tends to be less expensive.

Replacing your printer ink can seem like a difficult process, but with a little information, it is simple enough for anyone to do it.  First you will want to figure out what kind of inkjet cartridge your printer uses, and also the brand of your printer.  There will be a combination of letters or numbers on the printer cartridge, such as 2500c, or 850i, this is the type of inkjet cartridge your printer uses, write this down first.  The brand of your printer should be listed somewhere on it, common brands include HP, Canon, and Lexmark, write this down second. 

Now at your local computer or office supply store, first look for the brand or manufacturer of the printer cartridge, this will be the same as your printer.  Once you locate this, find the inkjet cartridge type, this should be the same number as the one listed on your printer.  If you have trouble finding it, ask a clerk. 

When you return home, simply follow the directions on the inkjet cartridge package to replace the old one.