Follow this quick and easy guide to cultivating an eco-conscious office.
Recycling office supplies increases the useful life of each product you use, which can help protect environmental resources, reduce your company’s waste management fees, boost your corporate brand image and make your colleagues happy. In fact, research shows that more than 80% of U.S. workers believe it is important to work for an organization that prioritizes the environment. The same data suggests that employees who feel they are positively impacting social and environmental initiatives at work are twice as satisfied as those who do not.
If you’re searching for a way for your business to reduce its carbon footprint by recycling office supplies, keep reading to discover:
- Office supplies that are recyclable
- Office supplies that are not recyclable – and what to do with them
- How to start an office recycling program
Office supplies that are recyclable
Instead of being destined for the landfill – or relegated to an already overflowing store room – many of the items you use at work every day can be converted into reusable material when you’re finished using them. In fact, experts estimate that a staggering 80 to 90% of solid waste in the average workplace is recyclable. At EZ Office Products, we can help you recycle office supplies, including:
- Batteries
- Styrofoam
- Chair mats
- Toner and ink
- Office furniture
- White office paper
- Light bulbs (small fee may apply)
- Computer equipment (small fee may apply)
For more information on recycling office supplies at your workplace, check out additional recyclable items in Dane County and learn about the City of Madison computer and electronics recycling options.
Office supplies that are not recyclable – and what to do with them
While many office items can be recycled, there are some that may not be so easy, like these commonly used office supplies:
- Carbon paper
- Adhesive tape
- Food wrappings
- Padded envelopes
- Post-it notes
- Three-ring binders
- Wax paper
- Pressure sensitive labels
- Plastic or metal spiral binders
- Rubber bands
So, what should you do with these items? If your company would like to take an environmentally sustainable approach to doing business, consider reducing your use of these items or finding ways that you can reuse them for more than one purpose. Mother Earth will thank you!
How to start an office recycling program
To start an office recycling program at your company, start by talking to your supervisor or HR manager to receive approval. Then, find a few co-workers that would like to help you with planning and implementing, and then it’s time to promote the program to all employees. Send out an email, have a meeting, and/or post signs near recyclable waste bins in your office. Get more details on these and more tips for starting an office recycling program here.
At EZ Office Products, we believe it is our corporate duty to do everything we can to preserve environmental resources through environmentally sustainable business practices that include reducing and reusing, in addition to recycling office supplies. If you’re one of our clients, you’re familiar with our green-friendly ways, like (most often) delivering your order in an eco-friendly reusable tote bag instead of a cardboard box. Then, we send cardboard boxes back to our vendors to reuse. We are doing our best to preserve the resources in our local community for the next generation – and we invite you to join our mission.
For more articles on environmental sustainability, recycling office supplies, and other tips for making your office more eco-conscious, check out our blog today.
Shop for eco-friendly office supplies online from our environmentally responsible suppliers now or call our local customer concierge to set up your business account at (608) 310-4300 today.