“Every well-run business needs strategic goals—we just believe that those goals need to include things like sustainability as well as profitability. We’re guided by two foundational documents: a philosophical statement, our Reason for Being, which inspires our strategy; and a practical tool, our Stewardship Model, which forms the basis for our everyday decision-making." Bill McGonagle, CFO, Tom’s of Maine
Since 1970 Tom’s of Maine has been mixing up products like toothpaste, soap, deodorant and mouthwash with close attention paid to the impact their products and practices have on the environment. At HumanPoint we share in their belief, that if every company empowered their people to find ways to lessen their impact on the earth we’d see a lot of positive changes. Your business can help reduce waste, save natural resources and prevent pollution by implementing and maintaining a common sense recycling program.
The key to a successful recycle program in the workplace is to make it easy to use, convenient and easy to understand. The City of Bellevue, Washington suggests recycling at work is easy and affordable and you’ll find that most employees are willing participants. Make it convenient for your employees and visitors to recycle by clearly labeling bins. Start by setting up a competition between the various segments or departments of your organization. Recruit the most competitive people from each of the segments, and have them take the lead on promotion and education. This makes learning about waste prevention and recycling more fun for everyone, and leads to greater success in the long run.
Commonly recycled items at work include:
o Office paper
o Magazines and catalogs
o Newspaper
o Cardboard
o Aluminum cans
o Plastic bottles
o Toner and ink jet cartridges
We recently met with the V.P. of a local printing company, Global Press, who explained to us that there are many paper companies who only offer recycled paper yet not all recycled papers carry the recycle logo so when in doubt you should always ask if the paper you are choosing to print on is recycled.
According to Conservatree, a nonprofit organization dedicated to converting paper markets to environmental papers, more than 90% of the printing and writing paper made in this country today is still virgin or non recycled paper. Distributers say that most buyers believe they no longer have to ask for recycled because they assume all paper contains recycled content. As a result, demand and supply have gone down. To be sure you are buying recycled paper, look for the words “made from post-consumer recycled paper” or ask your supplier.
Here are some tips for ensuring your office becomes green:
- Computer purchasing and recycling: When buying a new computer, get one that is Energy Star compliant. Generally, laptops are “greener” than desktops because they use less energy and material and have been designed with power sensitivity in mind.
- To recycle computers, check with the manufacturer to see if they have a recycling program. If not, find a local computer recycler.
- Choose recycled paper, which requires less energy and fewer chemicals. Just one ton of recycled paper saves six mature trees!
- Buying other office supplies with recycled content is also a good way to ensure that the “reduce, reuse, recycle” loop is able to go full circle!
- Order supplies in bulk, when appropriate, to reduce packaging waste.
- Substitute recycled cardboard or recycled plastic pallets for wood. Return, reuse and repair wooden pallets.
- Reuse shipping materials such as foam peanuts. Take them to a shipping service that will reuse them or use shredded newspaper and other renewable, recyclable packaging materials instead.
- Use recycled or rebuilt toner cartridges in printers and copiers, preferably with soy ink.
- Ask current suppliers for recycled content products; make it clear that this is your preference.
Begin to reduce your impact on the planet by contacting your local recycling company or locating your local recycling drop off center and asking how you and your fellow employees can do their part.
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