Lifting the game

In reality, there are areas where the consumables market could lift its game; paper recycling is one space where Australia has an abysmal record.

"Truth is there are more pages being printed now than in the history of man. I think a generational shift needs to happen," Oki's Harman said.

Planet Ark claims only one in 10 pieces of office paper is recycled in offices nationally. While many vendors are striving to promote more efficient paper usage, a behavioural shift is clearly needed, and this has been acknowledged by players like Fuji Xerox.

"For us it's all about driving responsible paper use. We want to ensure, first of all, that paper is procured from responsible, sustainable sources," Fuji Xerox's Keogh said.

"The other element of that is we want to ensure paper is used by businesses in a resource efficient manner. It's not really about the paperless office anymore; it's perhaps about the less paper office."

Planet Ark's Gray claims consumers are becoming increasingly critical of green wash and consequently the industry needs to move beyond short-term gains harvested through minor green improvements.

"Across the industry we need to take a longer term view," Gray said. "Longer term views can also be profitable and have some positive environmental impacts.

"If we can link sales, environment and marketing together they'll have a much better environmental impact and probably profit impact."

In addition, Gray claims enterprises will be able to garner a competitive edge if they promote smartly.

"For example, if you go with lighter packaging there are reduced transport costs. That will become increasingly important over time when we end up having a carbon tax or payment for carbon," he said.

Epson's marketing communications director, Mike Pleasants, believes the channel can reap benefits with the right green approach.

"As the market becomes more environmentally conscious it helps them [resellers] position themselves as being conscious about what's going on and helping the environment," Pleasants said.

"It also makes the user feel good as well. So there is a downstream effect and we promote that in our conversations and on our websites. And Planet Ark does a lot of work on our behalf."

Indeed, while taking a narrow view on consumables does not present an empowering commercial picture, the wider greener perspective proffers opportunities.

"Looking at the bigger picture around the green footprint of a device generally is becoming more of an issue, particularly for government, quasi-government or large corporations who are now demanding that the printer or device is efficient energy wise, does not put out or minimises the amount of toxic fumes," Pleasants said.

"There is a drive there, that if you look at a bigger picture and not just consumables, then the commercial benefit... will permeate down into smaller operations as well. If they [the resellers] are not recommending or cannot prove to that particular type of customer the better solution from an environmental point of view... then they may not be able to talk to that user to offer a solution at all because they don't even come onto the playing field."