James Woodson/Getty Images
DCL
Every Monday in our Eco Memo series, we offer you practical tips on how to green your work life. This week, learn how to reduce waste by starting a second-time-around trend for supplies in your office.
It makes lots of green sense to reuse office supplies until you've beaten them to a pulp. The more you can use what you have, the less you need to buy, which means you consume fewer resources in the production and distribution of new goods, which is great news for the planet. Lots of perfectly functional items, like file folders, binders, envelopes, and even little stuff like paperclips can keep working after a single use around the office, or even after dozens of trips around the office. To encourage your co-workers to reuse their stuff, set up an easily accessible reuse station for gently worn binders and other similar hoopla, where people can leave things for others to use, and take what they need. Sort of like a casual library, or a potluck, but for office supplies instead of books or casseroles. It's one of the easiest ways to save the earth, since it fits right into your regular workday routine.
How to Setup a Reused Office Supply Station
-Try to find or make space for your rad green reuse station near the new supplies, so that people will be reminded of their options right at the moment when they're deciding whether to bust open that package of virgin envelopes.
- Mark your territory. Keep things contained, in a (reused) box or on specific shelves, so that nobody is confused about what's new and what's old, and don't fear signage.
- Make it easy for people to re-label binders and folders by putting pens and sticky labels within arm's reach of the collection spot.
- Stop by occasionally to make sure things are tidy. The faster it is for everyone to find what they need, the more likely they'll be to make use of the treasure.
- Send out an email to your co-workers explaining your project, then confirm the information by taking a quick walk through the halls, asking for donations and telling everyone where the station is for future use. Going green at work is as much about educating your community as it is about your own personal habits, so enjoy the chance to reach out.
- Encourage everyone to think about what they really do and don't need new items for. Even if that manila folder is a bit crunched or battered around the edges and you wouldn't necessarily want to send it to a client as an ambassador of your company's impeccable professionalism, you can still use the old thing for intra-office stuff that outsiders won't see, instead of just putting it out to pasture.
- If your boss objects, be sure to mention that reusing office supplies will save the company money, so it's not just eco-smart, it's totally business-smart too.
Want to see new-to-green rap star Ludacris and rock star Tommy Lee battle out who can be greener? Check out the newest eco tour on Planet Green TV's Battleground Earth.
