Hewlett-Packard Co. is embarking on a broad environmental initiative that includes new eco labels on printers as well as tools and products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint.

The company has set its sights on its printing group in an effort to give customers more choices to limit their environmental impact. Similar programs will come later this year to HP's computer and server business groups.

The environmental effort includes the introduction of an HP Eco Highlights label that will appear first on two LaserJet printers and a new inkjet printer made almost entirely from recycled material. The label will list a product's environmental attributes such as its energy savings or Energy Star rating.

HP also is starting an Eco Solutions program that it hopes will allow companies to reduce their environmental impact by 30 percent. The program includes a carbon footprint calculator and a printing assessment that measures a company's impact and costs from its printing work.

A new auto-on/auto-off setting will allow printers starting in 2009 to power down after a set amount of time and turn on quickly when needed, eventually providing 20 times the power savings of operating in sleep mode. The company also is pushing green alternatives like retail photo-printing machines that require less startup time and digital on-demand printing for books and newspapers.

"There is not one silver bullet for how you can reduce your impact; it's a multifaceted approach," said Finola Howe, director for environmental programs for HP's Imaging and Printing Group. "The core of our approach is to enable customers to make smart choices."

In addition to providing customer tools, HP is working on revamping its own printing business. The company is increasing its commitment to improve the energy efficiency of its LaserJet and inkjet printers by 40 percent by 2011. HP also said it will increase by three times the use of recycled material in inkjet products by 2010.

HP promises that 100 percent of its consumer photo paper will come from certified sustainable forest suppliers. And it expects to have recycled - since 1991 - more than 250 million inkjet and LaserJet cartridges by fall.

"With the framework we've set up, we hope that other companies would realize the importance of this and do some good things as well," Howe said.

John Davies, an analyst with AMR Research, said the key offering by HP is the education tools it provides customers, allowing them to understand what they can do to limit their impact. He said it's a good marketing move for HP, which already has established itself as a leader in promoting green policies and practices.

"Instead of saying my processor is faster, companies are looking to use environmental initiatives as a differentiator from each other," Davies said.

"In that perspective, HP has clearly jumped out ahead of its competitors."