Energy conservation
Lights
Ensure that all office lighting, including lamps and other task lights, use linear or compact fluorescent bulbs. Better yet, investigate options for using LED lighting. If you’re remodeling your office space, determine whether linear fluorescent fixtures use T-12 (less efficient, bigger bulbs) or T-8 (more efficient, smaller bulbs) lamps. If they’re still T-12 consider making a lighting retrofit part of the remodeling project.
Turn off the lights whenever leaving the room. There is no negative impact of turning lights on and off repeatedly.
Occupancy sensors and daylight sensors make sense for many applications. Consider requesting to have these installed as needed.
Computer/monitor/printer
Instead of scan and print….scan and email. Most scanners have an option to email documents.
Turn off monitors when out for lunch, at a meeting or even when stepping away from your computer for a short break. Leaving your monitor or computer on stand-by mode still consumes about 30% of normal use in some cases. Ensure that all computers are turned off at the end of the day, on weekends, holidays, etc.
Change the settings (Start > Control panel > Display-PC, System Preferences > Energy Saver-Mac) to automatically switch off monitors and/or shut down the computer or hard drive when not in use. Remember that screen savers do not save any energy. It’s a myth that cycling computers on and off is harmful or inefficient. Computers and other appliances are designed to be operated in this manner—that’s why they have these settings.
Copier/fax
Most copiers and fax machines have “energy saver" modes. Simply push the button or flip the switch to allow the machine to automatically make use of this feature and save energy.
Appliances
Consider doing without or sharing such things as water coolers, microwaves, space heaters or room air conditioners. If buying one is absolutely necessary, investigate the energy efficiency of the appliance being purchased and buy the most energy efficient model. Many of these types of appliances full under the ENERGY STAR program.
Resource conservation
Computer and printer paper
Paper options matter! Remember to choose chlorine-free paper with a high recycled content. When chlorine bonds chemically with the carbon-based compounds in the paper it produces dioxin and other toxic pollutants that do not break down in water and bioaccumulate as they move up the food chain. Look for TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) or PCF (Processed Chlorine Free) which indicates that the paper also uses recycled content that was not bleached with chlorine.
Wausau Colored paper, Staples Item No. 471744
New Leaf Encore 100% recycled paper, 100% post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free, Staples Item No. 453645
Xerox 100% Recycled Multipurpose Paper, 90 brightness, chlorine free, Staples Item No. 512288
Recycled Products Co-op
The Recycled Products Co-op is a student led initiative that sells 100% post consumer recycled office supplies (binders, notebooks, pencils, pens, tree-free paper, folders) that are competitively priced. They also sell used office supplies (pens, pencils, computer paper, binders, lined paper, notepads, folders, adhesives, staples, etc.) for a suggested donation of 25 cents. They also have a mailing center with envelopes, packaging envelopes, packing supplies and much more! The RPC is located in Wilder 329. Look for the signs to lead you there.
Recycled Content Products
In addition to the RPC and recycled content paper, Staples offers a wide range of other recycled content office supplies including items you might not expect like staples, letter trays and even scissors. Simply type “recycled" into the search box on Stapleslink.com and look for the green recycled logo.
Double sided printing
Re-use paper that's already printed on one side by manually feeding it into printers for draft documents.
Once-used paper can also be reused in plain paper fax machines and copy machines.
Put a “Usable scraps" bin next to the copy machine to use for scrap paper
Default margins
Adjust the margins for Word and other frequently used documents to less than the factory presets. Depending on the application and layout of the document, simply reducing the right and left-hand margins from 1.5" to 1" can allow you to fit 15% or more information on a single page. More information per page equals fewer pages. To change the margins in Word simply select Format > Document.
Recycling
Mixed paper, plastic, cans & glass
Blue recycling containers are located throughout campus. Make sure your office has one—and use it!
Cardboard
Flatten boxes and take them to one of several cardboard dumpsters on campus.
Toner cartridges
Staples has agreed to recycle toner cartridges from copy machines. Simply give the old cartridge to the college delivery person when you receive deliveries. Toner cartridges from laser printers can be recycled through the manufacturer. Simply send back the old cartridge to the manufacturer using the certificate or label provided
Community Resources
Recycling information for the city of Oberlin can be found on their web site.
Recycling information for Lorain County can be found on their web site.
Purchasing
The Office of Purchasing and Auxiliary Services, in collaboration with the Committee on Environmental Sustainability, is currently working on a comprehensive Purchasing Policy for the College. This policy, once approved, will provide a commitment to the use and purchase of environmentally and socially responsible materials and products.
Third Party Certification
Credible, third-party certification programs can make responsible purchasing much easier. All you need to do is look for the label!
ENERGY STAR: Office equipment, lighting, appliances and electronics
GreenGuard: Furniture, flooring and construction materials
Forest Stewardship council (FSC): Wood products including paper and furnishings
Cradle to Cradle Certification (C2C): Office seating, workstations, fabrics, carpet fibers, wall coverings, whiteboards and window shades.
EPEAT: Computers and monitors
Green Label Plus: Carpeting
Environmental Report from Staples
Environmental Report summary table July-December 2006 (PDF)