The banking industry has been increasingly growing its use of green banking initiatives, such as paperless statements. However, instant card issuance can also be another way banks can be more environmentally friendly–and cut down on fraud and identity theft at the same time.

As posted on Datacard Edge’s blog, mailing debit cards to account holders not only uses extra paper, but it also puts the cardholder at risk because a card sent through the mail can be intercepted by a third party who could use it for fraudulent purposes or to steal someone’s identity.

Banks can circumvent these risks by opting for instant issuance, having the capability to create debit, ATM, credit or prepaid cards right on site. The account holder then receives his card at the time of application, ensuring that the card is in the correct person’s possession.

Instant issuance also accelerates card usage and provides other time and money-saving green benefits. Read more here.