Signage is everywhere, but its environmental cost is easy to miss. Printed signs are tossed after a few days. Digital displays stay lit around the clock. And while each instance seems small, across hundreds of locations, the energy use and waste quickly compound.

That’s why more companies (under pressure to reduce emissions) are taking a closer look at overlooked systems. Even something as routine as signage can quietly drag sustainability efforts off track. For example, paper-based signage—often seen as the greener choice—still contributes to deforestation and high energy consumption across the EU.

But ePaper signage helps solve both sides of the problem. It looks just like paper, but without the waste, deforestation, or other downsides. Plus, it offers the ease of digital updates, without the heavy power use.

That’s why, in this article, we’ll look at the hidden impact of traditional signage, break down how ePaper works and what makes it different, and show how businesses can use it to go greener without extra work.

Key Takeaways

• Traditional signage wastes materials and energy: Printed signage is often single-use and quickly discarded, resulting in unnecessary waste.
• ePaper signage reduces energy and waste: It mimics the look of paper, updates digitally, and mainly uses power when content changes, eliminating the need for reprints or continuous electricity.
• Environmental benefits increase with scale: Businesses can significantly reduce signage-related energy use, avoid recurring material waste, and replace displays far less frequently.
• Smart rollout ensures long-term sustainability: Prioritize static-content locations, limit update frequency to extend battery life, and train staff on care, placement, and battery recycling.

1. The Environmental Cost of Traditional Signage

Signage tends to blend into the background. It’s part of the day-to-day environment—guiding people, promoting offers, and labeling rooms. However, because it runs quietly in the background, its true impact often goes unnoticed, at least until the costs and waste start to stack up.

And nowhere is that clearer than with printed signage. It’s cheap, fast, and disposable. When a sale ends, a schedule shifts, or a product changes, the signs are discarded, whether they are made of paper, ink, foam board, or plastic. 

Most of it is thrown away after a single use, rarely reused, and almost never recycled.

Digital signage takes a different route. It removes the need for constant reprints, but introduces another challenge: persistent energy use. LCD and LED displays often stay on 24/7, even when the message stays the same. In many cases, power settings are never adjusted—not because anyone intends to waste energy, but because the system was designed to always be on.

And once it’s installed, it rarely gets questioned. At scale, that quiet energy draw turns into a consistent, often overlooked expense, caused by:

• Dozens or hundreds of displays pulling power every hour
• Limited or no off-cycle scheduling in many CMS platforms (unlike ComQi’s Engage, which includes this feature)
• Ongoing utility costs for screens that rarely change

Ultimately, it creates a quiet conflict. Teams want signage that’s visible, easy to update, and consistent across locations. However, they’re also being asked to reduce energy use, minimize waste, and demonstrate measurable progress on sustainability. A lose-lose situation.

2. Introducing ePaper Signage: Sustainable by Design

If the main issue with printed signage is waste—whether that’s energy or materials—then the real fix is to rethink how the system works. Most signage isn’t doing anything urgent. It doesn’t need to update constantly or stay powered around the clock.

In reality, most signs share one trait: they stay the same for long stretches of time. Walk through any office, campus, or retail space and you’ll see it everywhere:

• Room names that never change
• Schedules or menus that update once a day
• Promotional frames that stay in place for weeks

But instead of matching this slow pace, most systems do the opposite. Digital displays run 24/7 to show static content. Printed signs are remade, shipped, and replaced every time something changes.

That’s where ePaper signage makes sense.

It’s built for real-world use—slow-changing content that still needs to look clean and be easy to manage. Using electronic ink, ePaper displays mimic the appearance of traditional paper while functioning digitally. Once the content is on screen, battery operation ensures it stays visible without drawing any power.

There’s no backlight. No constant current. No movement. Just a clear display that holds its message until you change it.

Battery-powered units often last six months or more on a single charge. Either way, there’s little to maintain, and the infrastructure stays simple. Once installed, the system mostly runs itself.

It’s signage that actually fits how signage is used.

A Better Match for What Signage Does

Most businesses settle for one of two options: power-hungry screens that are easy to update, or disposable prints that are easy to waste. It feels like a necessary tradeoff, but it isn’t. 

ePaper eliminates the constant power draw and material waste, without compromising clarity, reliability, or control. Some of the practical benefits include:

1. Content updates wirelessly: No cables, manual access, or IT setup.
2. Displays hold content with minimal power: Once shown, the screen requires nothing to remain visible.
3. Fewer replacements or reprints: No scrambling to swap signs or ship new materials.

You set it up, load the content, and let it run. The sign does its job quietly, without pulling attention or resources. For most of the signage used across offices, campuses, stores, and facilities, that’s exactly what’s needed.

It won’t replace every display. It’s not built for video, motion, or high-frequency changes. But for the kind of signage that just needs to show up and work? ePaper is simply the best match.

3. The Environmental Benefits of ePaper Signage

When signage doesn’t need to change often, there’s no reason for it to drain energy or require constant attention. That’s where ePaper delivers—reducing waste, lowering energy use, and cutting complexity with a system built to match how signage actually works.

ePaper displays draw no power. So, a menu set in the morning still looks sharp at closing time, with no glow, no fans, and no backlight. Just a clean, legible display that stays visible until it’s updated.

The benefits extend beyond electricity.

ePaper also removes the constant cycle of printing, shipping, placing, and discarding signs. You’re no longer managing paper stock, coordinating reprints, or tossing materials after each update. That means:

• No printed inserts to manage or replace
• No waste created every time messaging changes
• No recurring logistics for basic signage upkeep

And because the displays are durable and largely maintenance-free, they last longer than traditional alternatives. Batteries often run for months. And with less physical handling, wear and tear is minimal.

In short, it’s a quieter system—both environmentally and operationally. For teams balancing sustainability with day-to-day practicality, ePaper offers a rare edge: a low-intervention way to move the needle, without reinventing the workflow.

4. Implementing ePaper Signage: Best Practices for Sustainability

Switching to ePaper signage is simple but using it well takes some thought. Like any tool, its value comes from how and where it’s applied. A few focused choices can amplify both the environmental and operational impact.

Start with High-Impact, Low-Change Locations

The most natural fit for ePaper is in areas where signage stays mostly the same but still needs to be seen. Ideal use cases include:

• Meeting rooms
• Office directories
• Menus and pricing boards
• Wayfinding signs
• Retail displays with weekly or seasonal updates

And so on.

These signs rarely need daily changes, making them ideal for battery-powered units. Once the content is set, the screen can remain in place for weeks—or longer—without consuming energy or requiring maintenance.

To make the most of that longevity, try designing content that stays relevant over time. If updates are needed, group them together where possible. Fewer refreshes means longer battery life and less maintenance overall.

Extend the System’s Lifecycle

While ePaper displays have a long shelf life, planning ahead can reduce waste even further. Choose models with replaceable or rechargeable batteries when you can. And as part of your setup process, create a simple recycling or recovery plan for old units and components.

Some vendors offer end-of-life support or recycling programs. If you’re rolling out ePaper at scale, it’s worth looking into those options early.

Bring Your Team Onboard

Generally speaking, teams that understand how ePaper signage works (and why it’s so valuable) tend to see better long-term results. Even a short guide or five-minute training can go a long way. So cover the basics, such as:

• How content is updated
• How the signs are powered and maintained
• What the environmental goals are behind the change

When people see that the system is both easy to use and aligned with broader company goals, support comes naturally, and the benefits stick around longer.

Conclusion: A Smarter Way to Go Green

Sustainability doesn’t always require sweeping change. Sometimes the most practical gains come from overlooked systems, such as signage. It runs in the background, but it touches every part of a business: communication, energy, materials, and maintenance.

That’s where ePaper signage makes sense.

It cuts electricity use by holding content with battery power. It removes the cycle of printing, shipping, and discarding. It simplifies updates without adding tech overhead. And it does all this while improving visibility and control.

For teams looking to reduce waste, meet sustainability goals, and cut long-term costs, ePaper isn’t just a cleaner alternative—it’s a smarter system. Contact ComQi today to discover how a quieter, more efficient signage setup can benefit your organization!