As businesses nationwide move to adopt greener practices - be they through their suppliers, energy consumptions or sustainable alternatives - it is becoming increasingly difficult to match practices with technological realities.

For example, when it comes to energy, fossil fuels are simply - and however unfortunately - the more economical option when it comes to power consumption and auto fuel.

However, that doesn't mean small businesses, particularly those in the print industry, cannot adopt effective and, more importantly, consumer-satisfactory green practices.

A recent survey from International Data Corporation found as much as 61 percent of workers claimed the environment is an important consideration when deciding to print, but only 16 percent actually act on those concerns.

"Customers express high interest in being green, but when it comes to people actually acting on their intentions, well…not so much," sustainability expert Andrew Winston writes, according to ZD Net. "Luckily, companies are finding a number of ways to automate the process of reducing the footprint."

Such practices include double-sided printing, using recyclable paper and ink cartridges and setting office page limits.