Refilling printer and copying cartridges appeals to me because of the cost savings, and as a way to reduce my contribution to the landfills. But I didn't really know the specifics of refilling cartridges. Today, I finally did the research to find out the details, and found some great sites with instructions and a way to order the products.

One site made an analogy: Throwing out your empty ink cartridge is like throwing away a tire that needs air. Thinking about it in those terms makes sense. Even though buying new cartridges was my only choice for years, it's great to discover there are other possibilities. And these new choices offer a win-win: they are less expensive and they make sense for the environment!

The process looks very simple. You choose a refillable cartridge that's compatible with your printer or copier. Next you order the ink kit for refilling, follow their instructions to refill your cartridges, and print!

I had planned to order a refill kit and cartridge until I did more research, and found a site offering recycled cartridges: http://www.myhardcopysolutions.com. This site described the potential dangers of refilling your own cartridges, including the possible ink mess and the possibility you could ruin your print head by using an improper formula for the ink.

They explain that there is no ink that can be used in every cartridge. Inks have different drying times, filtration levels, pigments, shades and viscosity levels.

This site also describes their process of cleaning, inspecting, reloading and then testing used cartridges. When you consider buying from a re-manufacturer, look at their processes to see how they compare.

After doing the research, I know that buying a re- manufactured cartridge is the best choice for me. It will save me the time and effort of refilling my cartridge, and eliminate the danger that I will ruin my print head by using the wrong ink.

The savings for refilling cartridges are incredible, and even buying pre-filled recycled cartridges showed a 60% savings for my printer. The sites I found typically advertise a 50 percent savings, so your printer or copier may need cartridges that result in more or less savings. In any case, though, in addition to saving money, either of these alternatives will also help the environment.

Rachel Perrine, entrepreneur and technical writer, contributes to Spots Toner, offering free information and resources for all your printing needs. Articles by Rachel are also found at FD Electronics and For Camera.