As you can see from the statistics* above, the volume and type of office supply we consume has a great impact on the environment. But the good news is that virtually everything you use in the office on a daily basis has a greener, even more sustainable alternative.

By choosing the right product, it’s easy to significantly reduce your company’s environmental footprint—so here’s a list of what you should look for when it comes to supplies to help in your quest to becoming a GREENOFFICE:

BATTERIES
Made up of heavy metals and acids that threaten wildlife if not properly disposed of—look instead for batteries made of less mercury (or mercury-free), or better yet, use rechargeable batteries which can be re-used hundreds of times. Plus Lithium batteries, like the Energizer e2 Lithium series, last up to seven times longer! Longer-lasting batteries means less battery waste pile-ups—and these batteries are leak resistant!

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
If you’re really looking to cleanup at work, use only non-toxic cleaning products that are 100% free from harmful chemicals, fragrances or noxious smells. Instead, select products made from all-natural ingredients.

DESK ACCESSORIES
Were you aware that there are actually desk accessories made from recycled plastic—and a high percentage of post-consumer waste? Your regular plastic penholder is non-biodegradable and could take up to 1,000 years to break down. So if you’ve been scoping out new desktop organizers, now’s the perfect time to make the shift to something a little more green!

LIGHTING
Choose Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) for all your office lighting, including desk lamps.  Not only do they help conserve energy, but last 8 to 10 times longer than an ordinary incandescent bulb. And of course the easiest thing you can do… turn off the lights when you leave!

MAILING/SHIPPING
Stop! Before you throw it away—nearly all packaging, mailing envelopes, corrugated boxes, bubble wrap and shipping pallets can be reused… and besides the huge environmental savings, the savings to your supply budget can also be enormous.

MARKERS, HIGHLIGHTERS, CORRECTION FLUID
Look for non-toxic, water-based products since their eco-depleting counterparts are made with harmful substances like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). When inhaled, ingested or absorbed through skin, these nasty solvent-based products can cause health problems and they are made from ozone depleting substances. We have a variety of these supplies that are non-toxic and refillable, saving you money over time. Even better, we have these products made from post-consumer recycled materials! So go ahead, make your mark!

PAPER AND PAPERBOARD BASED OFFICE ESSENTIALS
From binders, labels and report covers… to index dividers, index cards and sticky notes—these high-use items are all made from paper, using up a lot of water and energy to produce (not to mention the pollution created due to chlorine-based bleaches). The chlorinated organic compounds in these supplies can cause biological problems in humans and contaminate the fish on your dinner plate (not a very appetizing thought now, is it?)

But here’s something far more environmentally pleasing: using chlorine-free paper-based products, or supplies made with a high percentage of post-consumer waste materials, is a much greener option. In fact, we’ve got recycled notebooks made from 100 % post-consumer materials, as well as quality certified chlorine-free paper, so you can go about your business totally ‘green’ and guilt-free! And if you really want to push the eco-friendly envelope—try using recycled pressboard binders, and those made with the highest amount of post-consumer waste materials.

Here’s a quick fact: Post-it Recycled Notes have a minimum of 30 % post-consumer recycled content, and 3M Recycled Post-it Note Towers are made of Blue Angel certified paper fibres. Post-It Notes are also available with reduced packaging and ink content!

STORAGE BOXES, FILE FOLDERS, DUO-TANGS
Fact: It takes half the energy to make paper from recycling than it does from pulping trees—so when you choose supplies made from 100% recycled content with at least 30% post-consumer waste, you support the manufacturing of a product that took less energy/wood fibre to make… and one that didn’t spew as many toxins into our water and soil! The same goes for selecting storage boxes—so choose the ones made of 100% recycled content, consisting of 67% post-consumer fibre.

And while we’re at it, here’s another GREENOFFICE tip: Have you thought about reusing intra-office envelopes? If this isn’t an option, try using envelopes with a 67% post-consumer waste content. Nearly all packaging and shipping pallets can be reused which will save you some green!

Now that you know there are better options, take a look at the supplies at your desk. Did we cover any of these items? Then take action. The next time you’re purchasing supplies, go for ‘green’ and order the more eco-friendly options—then instead of adding to the problem, you’ll be a part of the solution!

*Statistics provided by Green Seal and One by One: Degrees of Choice.