Recycling has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, as landfills become more and more scarce, and the cost of dumping large amounts of waste into them is rising year-on-year.

What happens to the items you still need in your office, even if you’ve already cut down on them? Paper, note pads, pencils, computers etc.? The end goal of reducing landfill waste is not a selfish one,  and should be considered when buying items, as well as disposing of them.

Here are some common office product we recommend recycling or buying second hand:

Recycled paper

Recycled paper is almost identical to newly made paper with regards to texture and quality. The benefits, however, are very different.

Recycled paper helps greatly towards:

  • Curbing deforestation – a growing global problem

  • Saving energy in production

  • Reducing water consumption

  • Reduces transportation costs

  • Creates jobs in collecting and sorting waste paper

Did you know: Producing recycled paper actually generates between 20% and 50% less CO2 emissions than paper produced from virgin fibres

Recycled/Refillable pens

Recycled pens and pencils are getting more and more creative, from denim pens to recycled newspaper pencils, there’s no reason not to purchase recycled writing equipment. They have  all the attributes of standard pens/pencils but are far better for the environment with regards to their manufacturing and raw material usage. Also, investing in refillable pens will save you from throwing away an entire pen whenever it runs out, and encourages people to keep hold of the same writing utensil, therefore cutting down on waste.

Recycled packaging solutions

There are two ways recycled packaging can be used, for your business. One way is to simply reuse boxes or bags of your own to send back out to customers, which is the most direct way of recycling.

The other is to look for the recycling symbol when buying packaging paper, boxes, envelopes or loosefill packing chips. Whilst you’re still spending money on packing necessities, you’re saving the environment in the process.

Top tip: If you do use recycled packaging, make sure your customers know about it. A little green recycling symbol or a little message encouraging your customers to recycle your packaging upon receipt can go a long way towards brand building and a positive company image.

Recycled computer accessories

There are many quirky ways of converting unwanted computer accessories, such as keyboards, into everyday items, like cup holders, handbags and notepads but when it comes to buying replacement items, consider going for recycled option, or buying second hand. Most second-hand monitors, mouses, keyboards and even computers are on the market because the previous owner upgraded, and not necessarily because they went faulty. After all, a mouse is a mouse, and for the purpose of pointing and clicking, the latest model isn’t always what you need.

Second hand furniture

There are a multitude of locations and websites that stock second hand office furniture such as desks and chairs of all shapes and sizes. Whilst buying new can help with a consistent colour scheme through your office but, with a little effort, it can be easy and rewarding on the wallet to browse second hand for office furniture.

There are many more regular office items you can recycle or reuse to help both cut down on the amount of waste your businesses produces, and saving the pennies by making your items last longer.

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