Here at Snells Office Supplies we are trying our best to be more sustainable in the workplace.
We wanted to share some ideas to help you achieve sustainability during office hours.
Reuse Office Stationery - Almost every workplace has lever arch files and ring binders stuffed with old accounts and information. Once emptied these often get thrown out as the spine label contains old information, but as long as they are in good condition there is no reason not to use them again. Just pop an Avery Block Out label over the old one and they are as good as new !
When looking to reduce the amount of plastic you use, consider refillable options. Available in all kinds of items from printer ink cartridges to pens and pencils, lots of stationery can now be refilled, thereby extending the life of the item.
Create a re-use area - When you receive a delivery, carefully open the package without damaging the box and save the filler material (packing peanuts, air fill, bubble wrap etc) to reuse when you next need to send a parcel. Shredded paper also makes a great filler so collect and shred discarded print outs for the re-use area.
Recycling Office Furniture -If you are looking to get rid of office furniture, check out companies in your local area who will collect and refurbish (or recycle if broken) your unwanted goods. Depending upon the items you may actually stand to make some money here ! Institutions like charities, churches, community groups and schools may also be looking for donations, so if your furniture is in decent condition you may want to donate these to these causes.
Recycling Electrical Items - There are a few options for getting rid of unwanted electrical goods ... First up check with the manufacturer if they have a refurbishment programme. Often they will organise collection of the items and there may be some payback scheme (particularly if you are replacing old for new). If that is not an option, check out companies in your local area who will take your old items, wipe any data from them, then resell or destroy. When researching these companies make sure to check their data destruction and security credentials. Computer Aid International is a UK wide organisation which will refurbish your old PC's then send them to countries that need them. They have distributed over 150,000 PC's throughout 100 countries making them global leaders in not-for-profit supply of IT equipment.
These changes offer companies excellent cost savings, plus the impact of lessening what we put into landfill will make a big difference to our carbon footprint.
