Step 6: Reduce other office waste

Because paper remains the preferred method of receiving, reading and storing information, printer and photocopiers remain an important part of any office. These create significant environmental impacts through paper and ink/toner cartridge consumption.

Using recycled content office paper is an easy way to avoid most of the basic issues related to forestry. It is generally considered less energy and water intensive too, though some parties debate that claim. Buy the highest percentage of recycled content and the highest possible percentage of that should be ‘post consumer’ fibre – which means genuinely used and recycled fibre.

Virgin paper (that is, with no recycled content) should be avoided, but where unavoidable, should be sourced from FSC certified or highly reliable brand and sources. In either case, manufacturers claims should not be taken at face value, since there are many examples of missing or misleading information or ‘greenwash’.