Green Tips - Green Up Your Office
There is so much we can do, personally and within our organizations to help conserve and be environmentally friendly.
This continues from my first post, Going Green - Where to Begin?
Where did we start? We started off in the one place most of us have, our office. It seemed like the right place, the place we spend a lot of time, and with a few modifications to our thoughts about recycling, we could make an immediate difference.
Office Supplies
The next logical step was office supplies and surprisingly enough, researching office supplies was actually very simple. Organizations like Staples and Office Depot are making it easier for their customers to locate good quality, Eco-Friendly products on their websites:
There are many eco-friendly options today. Here are a few ideas we have implemented:
- Instead of using a disposable tape dispenser, get one you can refill.
- Post it notes, try the ones from recycled paper.
- Replace colored file folders, with natural ones, eliminating the dyes.
- Using only natural colored shipping boxes
- Eliminate paper cups by using stoneware
- Eliminate self service packets, like sugar, creamer. Use full size products.
- Consolidate office product deliveries into one shipment. Reduces delivery fuel, shipping costs.
Many suppliers offer free shipping if you order meets a certain requirement. Both Office Depot and Staples offers free delivery on orders $50 or more.
Repurposing is another good idea. Those boxes you receive products in, reuse any clean and presentable boxes again. We replaced our styrofoam peanuts by reusing our shreaded paper. Of course these ideas will not work for businesses that have significant shipping, ours is minimal, but it opens up the idea of Repurposing.
There is much more we can do, this is just a start in our office.
The above examples, we are doing in our office. Do you have any other Eco-Friendly ideas, product suggests for office supplies? What were the results? Did they match up to the expectations of your old favorites? Were they more expensive?
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Nice article, but there is another way to buy file folders, pressboard folders and expanding filing pockets and that is direct from the manufacture. At AmericanFolder.Com we are now selling our manufactured filing supplies direct thus cutting out the big box retailers markup. So yes I agree that buying some office supplies from a large chain store is smart, but the real savings is when you find a manufacture that is selling direct. I invite you to go too our companies web site and see for yourself.
AmericanFolder.Com
fred@americanfolder.com
Good point in reference to buying directly from manufacturers. This works well when purchasing in bulk. I am a firm believer in consolidation of my suppliers, for a host of reasons, which results in overall savings, both hard and soft costs. But, you got my attention and I visited your website.
Once I was at your home page, I saw nothing that would indicate American Folder was a green friendly company. This was disappointing because I choose these two companies because they made is easy, which I put in my post:
” Organizations like Staples and Office Depot are making it easier for their customers to locate good quality, Eco-Friendly products on their websites”
I did not stop, I continued to search your website for the “green” symbol, which I found a “symbol” on the bottom of the about us page. Unfortunately it was just a symbol. I did however find a reference on the FAQ page.
“We’re putting “Green” thinking into action-from our staff to our suppliers to our product”
I appreciate the fact that yours and many other are “thinking” about green, but it would be more useful for companies to educate customers on their “green” product lines and how they make a inpact.
That being said, in all fairness both Staples and Office Depot made it easy to locate the products on line, but provided minimal customer education on why those choices would help the environment.
Excellent Tips/examples. Now, if companies would start implementing instead of just talking about it! “Every waterfall starts with a drop”
I agree with implementation being more important than just the marketing of being a “green” company. More and more companies are starting in office recycling programs, reducing travel with WebConferencing, and allowing employees to telecommute on occasional days.
These are all real steps to implementing a “green” organization.
Anthony Russo
Conferencing Consultant
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
http://www.ganconference.com
http://blog.ganconference.com/
Phone: 312-432-5377
Skype: anth.russo
Twitter: @AnthonyRusso
Good posts, Tawny. I especially like the bullet points that start with “Eliminate.” For the longest time, we’ve all bought products that add a tiny amount to our own convenience (e.g. sugar packets instead of large canisters) without any thought for other considerations, so long as the convenience wasn’t too expensive.
But when you’re thinking green, you go beyond cost and convenience and also start thinking, “Wait a minute,do we really need this *at all*?” If you do, good — look for a greener alternative. But if you don’t, that’s even better, because you’ll save yourself in costs while also cutting the ecological footprint of your business.
Take your used paper and reuse it before putting it in the recycle bin. Print on the back of them for test printing or things just for your own benefit. Also, cut them in half and staple them at one corner. It makes a great note pad for daily to-do list!
Speaking of printing - set your default to print on “quick print” for most daily printing. It uses less ink/toner and there isn’t that much difference in the quality for daily printing. For formal reports, etc, switch it back to “normal.”
And, of course, only print when you absolutely have to and recycle your used ink/toner cartridges. Office Max now has a program where you can get them refilled. (ink, anyways)
Mark I really enjoy the phrase “Every waterfall starts with a drop”, that alone puts thing in perspective for change.
Tim, I really liked the convenience of the packets and the cups, but after seeing all the added waste, it was an obvious solution. New cups are more formal, so we don’t mind the extra dishes at the end of the day.
Christine, all very good tips we are not doing, and easily can begin. We did stop using our color laser for everything and purchased several black only printers. But, I missed the Quick print, that is a great idea for drafts and would reduce our toner consumption greatly.
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