Use Sustainable Office Supplies

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Affordability

When “green” options are first introduced, they are sometimes more expensive than conventional products. However, prices tend to decrease as more suppliers shift production to meet increased market demand.

Cost savings

As sustainable options become more common, the price premium associated with them starts to fade. Meanwhile, a conservation culture may help reduce costs as employees start to think twice about printing, or using other supplies unnecessarily.

Environmental considerations

Plastic is toxic to produce and the waste clogs our landfills, persisting in many cases for hundreds of years. By first reducing usage and then buying only products made from post-consumer materials that can be recycled or are biodegradable, you help reduce plastic pollution in our environment.

What you need to know

• Develop a sustainable purchasing policy for all products in your workplace. Consider issues related to both "green purchasing" and "social purchasing". Include your purchasing department in the policy development and make them part of an office green team.
• Revise your buying expectations regularly. Recycled content is being introduced in more and more products. Continue to look for more sustainable alternatives to all your workplace needs. To make this easier, seek with a "green" office products supplier who is continually seeking out the most sustainable options.
• As with paper, you can find plastics and other manufactured items with post-consumer content. Post-consumer means the materials have been collected back from previous products and remade into new ones. Post-consumer products have a direct impact on reducing material that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
• You can now purchase pens made from sustainable wood or with biodegradable corn. Ensure your pens, markers and highlighters use nontoxic inks. If they do not say they are nontoxic, they likely aren't. You can also do the "sniff" test: if it smells, it is likely toxic.
• Reuse or refill where possible. Most toner cartridges, for printers and photocopiers, can be refilled at a lower price than purchasing new. Buy ballpoint pens that can be refilled and used again, rather than sent to landfill.
• Use a staple-less stapler for small documents that need to be held together. These create a slit in the pages that holds them together instead of using a staple or paper clip. They are particularly useful for documents you keep for a time and later recycle, as there are no staples to remove.
• There are conventional and staple-less staplers on the market made from recycled materials. Look for one next time you need to replace a stapler.
• Look for paper clips with post-consumer metals content.
• The B.C.-based Buy Smart Network website is a great resource for all your office needs.
• Seek out products carrying the EcoLogo. EcoLogo certifies products – including office products ranging from chairs to envelopes – that are in compliance with EcoLogo environmentally friendly criteria. A list of EcoLogo certified office products is available at their website. Seek out the Energy Star label to ensure good energy efficiency.
• As well as thinking about the product you are purchasing, think about how it is packaged. Look for products with minimal and recycled packaging. Buy in bulk to reduce packaging needs.
• Reuse or recycle your old materials; consider the entire lifecycle of what you buy and take responsibility for it.
• Consult the Power Smart Buyers Guide for ideas about office electronics.
• Check for current offers on electronics.

FAQ

What can I do about products I cannot find alternatives for – rubber bands and correction tape for example?
Reduce as much as you can, and replace such products when new options become available.

There are not yet alternatives for all workplace products, but check regularly with your suppliers and / or seek new one because alternatives are being developed constantly. Asking suppliers also sends a message that consumers are looking for sustainable products. In the interim, use office supplies judiciously to avoid waste and look for other ways to reduce the impact of your office products. For example, you can purchase refillable correction fluid dispensers, as well as toner for photocopiers and ink for printers. It will not reduce the toxins in the contents but it will reduce packaging.

Purchasing at my office is not really in my hands – we have a purchasing department. How can I encourage them to adopt greener practices and source environmentally friendly products?
The Buy Smart Network is an excellent resource for people involved in purchasing. It offers workshops, resources and an online forum to help companies assess the impacts of their purchasing practices and shift toward better social and environmental practices.

Refer your purchasing department to sustainability-related resources and information from the Purchasing Management Association of Canada. Include your purchasing department on your Green Team.