If that weird little widget makes even one student a day think about the impact of their printing and critique their daily consumption decisions, and that student then begins to make subtle changes in their consumption patterns, then our environment will be better off for it. It is this sustainable attitude and sense of consciousness and purpose in consumption that projects like these are trying to foster in the Macalester community.
What’s also important to emphasize is that the 500 sheet balance is not a “punishment” for printing, or an attempt to make those who print more feel bad. A number of majors and professors require a lot of printing, and what’s more, many people learn and absorb information better when they read from a printed copy.