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There are many ways to reduce the waste your office creates and so far, we've only mentioned a few. To find other opportunities to practice waste prevention ask yourself...can we reuse things we already have?
Jeff Detlefsen-Detlefsen Law Office
Another opportunity for waste reduction is using a plain paper fax instead of the chemical paper on rolls. You can reuse individual regular sheets of paper and print on both sides.
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Can we use what we have more effectively? Mentor Graphics "Save on Supplies" room allows employees to return supplies they no longer need so that others can use them.
Can we encourage our suppliers to stock earth friendly and recycled content item?
Retailer Norm Thompson works with its vendors to bring more environmentally friendly products to its customers.
Derek Smith-Norm Thompson
A big part of our goal around sustainability…we call it influence…so any time we can encourage others to join us and show them the benefits to their company we strive to do that. We also have purchasing criteria around what we call environmental value for our products. So as our buyers go out to look for products to put in catalogs they think about offering our customers products with recycled content , products that are recyclable, reusable, durable,etc.
 Narrator
The Oregon Zoo uses a post card to inform vendors when it receives over-packaged items. The card encourages vendors to change their packaging practices.
Can we reduce the amount or toxicity of this item? This applies to cleaning supplies as well as to printer and copier inks, pens and markers.
Artist John Maher has switched adhesives to lower his use of toxic materials.
John Maher-Maher Fine Art
In terms of toxic reduction…this spray adhesive is what I used to use to mount my prints. It's very nasty stuff. Bad for the lungs. Bad for the ozone. And I really wanted to find some way to replace it. What I found was a roll on adhesive. Non toxic, archival—won't get brittle—lasts forever and no fumes from it. Just pour liquid in the back here. Rolls on to the print… and it's ready to go. No fumes as I said and no cans either when you are finished with it.
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Can we use fewer disposable products?
Printing paper is not the only waste item found in office trash. Coffee service and lunchrooms can also generate waste.
Patricia Mulder-Corvallis Chamber of Commerce
 We're in our conference room now. We have between two and three meetings a day in this room…between 5 and 15 people attending the meetings. And it seems as though everyone of them drinks coffee. We used to serve our coffee in those waxed paper cups. We found that people don't really like drinking their coffee out of paper cups. And we've also found that it generated an awful lot of waste. It filled up our dumpster really fast. We've got about four years on the mugs. They seem to be indestructible. They go through the dishwasher. And everybody is much happier.
Narrator
Retailer and catalog merchandiser Norm Thompson also prevents kitchen waste.
Mary Daly-Norm Thompson
Here at Norm Thompson in our headquarters we have a main kitchen on the first floor. We also have a smaller kitchen on the second floor. Both of our kitchens are stocked with silver ware , plastic bowls and plates for employees' use. Each one also has an energy efficient dishwasher. An each employee is provided with a Norm Thompson mug. And in providing these for employees we save over $9,000 each year. And we prevent over 110,000 paper cups going into the landfill.
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