Waste Watcher Tips For Work

Most office workers throw away more than one pound of recyclables every day. Increasingly, we are aware that this practice does not make either economic or environmental sense. Check out these waste watcher tips:

Paper

• Use electronic mail (e-mail), bulletin boards for inter-office memos.
  
  
• Stop duplicate mailings that are coming in the mail.
  
  
• Make scratch pads from paper with only one side of printing.
  
  
• Reuse the following: manila envelopes and folders, index cards, hanging folders and file folders.
  
  
• Buy recycled paper with the highest post consumer content
  

Utilizing Old Printing

If your company is switching addresses, don’t throw out your old letterhead, business cards, or brochures just yet. Here are some tips:

• Cut outdated sheets of letterhead to make memo/scratch pads.
  
  
• Cut out logos from outdated business cards and paste them in computer generated nametags, bookmarks, etc.
  
  
• You may be able to save part of a brochure by cutting it into individual panels, discarding the ones that are outdated. You can reuse the good panels by combining them with new panels in small folders. In fact, many companies graduate the panels for this purpose.
  

Breakroom, Cafeteria and Restroom

• Promote reusable mugs, dishes, cutlery.
  
  
• Use cloth towels in the kitchen and rest rooms.
  
  
• Buy cleaners in bulk containers.
  
  
• Buy recycled content toilet paper.
  

Shipping:

• Use shredded paper for packing, instead of styrofoam peanuts
  
  
• Ask vendors to reduce packaging in your orders
  

Set up a Reusable Cabinet:

• Set up a reusable cabinet in your office. Employees can place usable items they no longer need in this central area.
  

Source: http://acwastewatcher.org/business_pages/business_tips.php