As a print manager it is strange that I am always babbling on to people about how to save paper, you would think that would be the last thing I would be passionate about.
As much as I like to see words and pictures actually printed rather than on screen and to be able to hold a magazine or brochure and read at my leisure I am still concerned about how this paper is disposed of.
I have written a previous blog about the affects of paper in our landfill sites and would like to see that reduced significantly; so I have put together the following hints and tips to enable us to be more eco friendly with our office paperwork.
1. Re-use. Turn your scrap paper into note pads by stapling or bulldog clips. If you have printed something that you no longer require, keep it in a box on top of the printer so non essential office information can be printed on the reverse.
2. Organise your office, pool together all office supplies before submitting your next stationery order, you may find that you do not require everything on your list.
3. Opt for a supplier who is committed to providing a choice of environmentally friendly products and will take back packaging for reuse.
4. Choose paper and wood products which are FSC certified to guarantee they come from certified sustainable sources.
5. Re-use envelopes, cardboard packaging and especially jiffy bags as these usually have a high plastic content and are not suitable for recycling.
6. Set your printer to double print so that both sides of the paper is used.
7. For all internal mail use reusable envelopes and provide clearly marked storage containers for these, cardboard and jiffy bags.
8. Provide recycling bins around the office for all paper and plastic.
9. Reuse shredded waste as packaging material
10. Encourage all communication to be made by email and ensure that they are only printed if absolutely necessary.
