CMF’s Sustainability Solutions: Eco-Friendly Office Products

CMF’s Sustainability Solutions: Eco-Friendly Office Products

The Facts & Figures

Do you often wonder about how to be more environmentally conscious in your procurement of office supplies and office furniture? Is your classroom filled to the brim with paper? Are you wondering how to better outfit your spaces with something more sustainable?  

Here are some statistics we’d like to share with you about how most office supplies are made and disposed of in the United States. 

  • To produce 1 trillion pages of paper, 8.5 million acres (about twice the area of Connecticut) of trees must be cut down. 
  • Americans produce at least 27% of the world’s garbage. 
  • Paper accounts for up to 40% of our waste. 
  • 75% of America’s waste is recyclable, but we only recycle 30% of it.  
  • We throw away 25 million plastic bottles every hour

That’s a lot of trash! But don’t worry. At CMF, we work hard to ensure you have access to eco-friendly, sustainable solutions for your office supplies.  

How You Can Help: Find Your Pain Points 

The most important thing consider is where you can make the most impact. Lots of office products that are recyclable still end up in landfills. The difference with many of our products is that they’re not only recyclable but also made of recycled materials, ensuring sustainability from start to finish. Some common areas of impact are Paper, Ink & Toner, Breakroom, Furniture, and Lighting.  

Paper 

Man writing a document

We use a lot of paper. It’s an unavoidable fact. Whether it’s filling out forms at the doctor’s office, having enough paper available for every kindergarten student’s holiday painting, you need to print receipts, or simply needing things to take notes on, paper is a necessity in every industry. How can you be more sustainable with your paper products? 

First things first, you can cut down on the amount of paper you need. How much paper waste do you have? Can you print double-sided? Can some files be electronic? Secondly, you can switch to an eco-friendly paper product. Being more responsible with your paper usage is a great first step towards sustainability.  

Ink & Toner 

Brother Produced Cartridges Installed in Printer

Did you know that only 20-40% of all ink and toner cartridges end up being recycled? Meaning that up to 80% of all cartridges end up in the landfill. That’s a lot of unnecessary waste. We have an Ink and Toner Recycling Program to help ensure that you are not adding to that waste. We can send you boxes that you can send back to us directly and we’ll take it from there! 

Breakroom 

an empty well naturally lit break room

The breakroom is another pain point when it comes to disposability. Every day, employees are throwing out paper cups, plastic plates and cutlery, and hundreds of sheets of paper towels and napkins. How can you be more sustainable with your breakroom supplies? 

Using recyclable products in the breakroom is a great move. Having coffee cups, plates, utensils, and clean-up supplies made from recycled materials can help cut back on your carbon footprint. Encouraging your staff to bring in reusable coffee mugs can also encourage less waste. Having a water cooler or water service will steer your company away from plastic water bottles and disposable, single-use cups.  

Furniture 

Desk with a laptop on it

We get it. Furniture can be a tough one. But there are so many more options now than ever before for eco-friendly office furniture. From furniture made of recycled materials to furniture that is made to be recycled, CMF has so many great opportunities to be eco-conscious within your office design.  

Not only that, but if you are going to start procuring new furniture, consider donating or selling your old furniture. You can bring it to a school, library, or another company. This will greatly reduce waste while also promoting community comradery.  

Lighting 

eco-friendly lightbulbs used in the hallway of an office

Using smart light bulbs will cut not only your energy usage, but also your overall costs. Smart light bulbs are meant to last longer than standard light bulbs, meaning you don’t have to replace them as often. Having natural light available will also save you money – don’t turn lights on if you don’t have to! – and is shown to improve employee engagement and productivity.  

How to Make It All Happen 

The best way to ensure you’re supporting the creation of more eco-friendly office supplies is to shop locally. Not only will you help curb the amount of carbon dioxide going into the air, but you’ll also be cutting back on delivery expenses like gas, tolls, truck maintenance, etc., benefiting both your company and CMF! This not only helps the environment, but also your community.  

Now that you’re ready to start or continue your journey to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable office, get in touch with a CMF representative today.