Who Can Argue With
Saving-Company-Money?

You are saving the environment and saving-company-money too by reducing-office-waste where you work.

By not wasting and recycling office supplies,
saving-company-money will just come naturally.

For staff who faithfully recycle at home, not
doing it in the workplace just wouldn't seem logical
or feel right. Reducing your carbon footprint at
home applies at work as well. The concept contributes
greatly to this reduction by saving energy, reducing
landfill waste and needless expenses.

There aren't many businesses who wouldn't be interested
in reducing company costs by implementing an office-recycling program, and reducing office carbon footprints as well.


Old habits are very hard to break, but you can make it just
as easy to recycle as it was to toss something into the
garbage can.

The best philosophy for recycling and saving-company-money
is to reduce waste in the office in the first place.

Even with computerized data storage file systems, paper
remains one of the biggest wasted office items today.

Did you know that it takes approximately 4
tons of trees to create one ton of paper?

And, though it's great that more and more paper does
actually get recycled everyday all over the world, it
still takes energy to make that happen.

Reducing paper consumption in the workplace is very high
on the list of an office recycling and savings program.

You can begin the process by following some common-sense
suggestions.

How many of us have printed needless copies only to find
them useless because of typos?

Decide if the document needs printing at all. Perhaps
consider putting onto CD or pdf.file for viewing by
the receiving party.

Preview documents thoroughly for accuracy before printing.

Single space instead of double-space.

Decrease margins, headers and footers.
This can reduce paper consumption for saving-company-money
by 50% over the course of one year.

Print on both sides of the paper as much as possible.

Print only when absolutely necessary.

Use email and intranet as much as possible for internal
and external documents and memos.

Type addresses on envelopes directly - no printed labels.

Make notepads and message pads out of paper that only
has been typed on one side. It's easy to do with a
stapler and a pair of scissors.

Use inter-office memo envelopes that can be used over and
over again for transporting documents from one department
to the next.

Fax from your computer instead of a printer.

Make use of erasable wall calendars and boards in your
lunch-room, board and conference meeting rooms.

Use an erasable board in your own office as well instead of
stickies and post-it notes.

Use overhead-projectors or laptop presentations to avoid
paper handouts to clients or staff.

Have company letterhead stored electronically on your
computer in case your company details change. You won't
be stuck with useless cases of stationary stock.

Use light-weight graded paper. Consider tree-free products.

Regularly maintain your office copier to avoid countless
paper-jams which just waste paper.

Reuse file folders over and over.

Send internal email greeting cards instead of bringing
in the real thing.

Save cardboard boxes that have been shipped to you with
office supplies for your packing needs later.

This is not only good for the environment, it goes a long
way to saving-company-money as well. Bankers' Boxes are not
cheap, especially when you need quite a few.


Stop Incoming Mail From Others

Stop incoming junk-mail and pamphlets and other unsolicited
mailings through directly contacting these companies or the
post-office.

Find out if you can choose to read other company newsletters
and publications on the web instead of being mailed a hard
copy.

Go paperless if possible with accounts and statements
from banks and other companies.

If you must refer to a newspaper, read it on-line and print
from it on-line.


Office Kitchen and Bathroom Facilities

Buy other paper-related products such as tissues and
toilet-paper that contain as much recycled content as
possible.

Use plastic garbage containers instead of paper bags.

Cut paper towels wherever possible, and use dishcloths
and rags that can be washed wherever possible. This is a great saving-company-money strategy.

Don't use disposable cups, cutlery or dishes, especially
during meetings or office parties. Ask the staff to bring
in their own coffee mugs, dishes and silverware. For big
events, you could have on hand a regular set of washable
dishes.

Ban styrofoam - These are mostly found in takeout containers.

Buy a permanent or reusable coffee filter.


If you are an employer and want your staff to actually
implement these ideas, set up bins and containers.
Make it easy for them.

Make the containers available in the cafeteria or lunch
room, meeting room etc. Let everyone know where they are.

Post a list of acceptable recyclables also.

Make your office-recycling-program mandatory.


Turn off lights and equipment in unused rooms like empty
offices, meeting-room, washrooms etc. Saving-company-money
not only includes reducing paper, but considers the energy
bills as well.

Most offices (home and main-branch) use so many types of
equipment, ie., Computers, printers, copiers, fax machines
and scanners just to name the basics. Shut them down
completely to avoid enormous energy costs.

Energy Star products in regards to office equipment use
approximately half the electricity of other models.

An Energy Star computer will use up to 70% less hydro.

Laptops are much more economical and energy-efficient than
a desktop model computer. Be sure to attach it to a power
strip that will cut power completely.

Web Conferencing - Massive savings on travel and
accommodations, which in turn saves big on carbon emissions.

Research Your Business Partners

Choose partners and companies that live by environmentally-friendly business practices and saving-company-money too. You will encourage peers and customers to develop a "greener" way of doing things if they don't already. This can be an investment, as you may be looked upon more favorably by the business community and potential clients.


Working From Home

Telecommuting has become so popular, and for those who are
doing it, they must be elated. It's positive for the
environment, employee and employer as well in a number of
ways. There are less vehicles on the road, less parking
spaces needed, less office space required, and less energy
used in so many ways in the main office location.


Office Planning a Move?

Try to use an eco-friendly design and choose renewable materials if putting up a new building from scratch.

Be sure to opt for eco-friendly appliances, and choose eco-friendly supplies from green-minded suppliers.

Office Incentives To Cost Cutting Ideas

People love a challenge. Offer a reward to your staff if
you are an employer for any new or best ideas to cut down
on expenses. Of course the greener the ideas the better.

It doesn't have to be extravagant, just a little something
that acknowledges the thought put into it. Tap into the
minds of those who do this on a regular basis in their own
everyday lives, and you could be quite surprised at what
saving-company-money strategies they might come up with to
make policy in your place of business.


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