“Greening” has experienced a growth in the last few years. People, businesses, individual cities, states and countries are shifting to embrace the dictates of environmental issues, from climate change, to pollution, loss of biodiversity and more.

According to a 2018 Nielsen Product Insider study nearly half of American consumers would decidedly or likely change their buying habits to curb their personal impact on the environment: In 2018 alone shoppers consumed an estimated $128.5 billion worth of sustainably-branded goods. By 2021 it is projected that they will spend up to $150 billion on sustainable goods, an increase of $14 billion since 2014.1

Person practicing sustainability in his office

The resources below can help you turn your office into a greener, more sustainable workspace that you, your employees and customers can feel good about.

Six Resources for a More SustainableWorkspace

    1. Recycle your used printing equipment or donate used printing equipment.
      Americans created 48.5 million tons of e-waste in 2018 and these are two ways to tone it down and feel good about it.2
    2. Order (or make) an Eco-Box.
      When you’re done with printer supplies you can send back the used cartridge/toner container in the box it came in or order Eco Boxes for free with pre-paid return labels from Xerox. You can also create your own Eco Box using cardboard. Customers recycling their used toner supplies have kept more than 145 million pounds of waste out of landfills over the past 20 years!
    3. Always choose Energy Star-certified equipment.
      The ENERGY STAR program was initiated in 1993 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with Xerox as a Charter Partner. The program’s energy requirements serve as the foundation for other eco-labels, such as EPEAT and Blue Angel, and show an on-going commitment to reduce product energy consumption. Get information on the Xerox Environmental Products list before you shop.
    4. Be responsible with office resources.
      This can mean everything from utilizing double sided printing or an audio app to download materials, to going back to an old fashioned coffee pot instead of wasteful single-use pod coffee makers. Watch the Xerox® Audio Document App video to see how easy it is to listen to content instead of printing voluminous documents. You can also print easily and responsibly with our eco-friendly printing tips.
    5. Practice “green procurement” or sustainable purchasing.
      This means sourcing your goods and services from those local to you and supplied in a sustainable way. Focus on only ordering materials that reduce waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, water, and soil, use renewable energy sources, and do not contain toxic substances or release pollutants. The EPA has resources to help a business identify green products and services.
    6. For those in the office, download these energy-saving posters to motivate simple habits and get everyone onboard.
      Encourage employees to make the right choice by creating a plastic-free work zone: supply real coffee cups and glasses or have employees bring their own, set up multiple recycling bins for paper, glass and aluminum, and have a compost container in the kitchen. Encourage your workers to work from home if possible, or if they need to go into the office, consider incentives for them to walk, cycle or use local transit.
1 https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2018/was-2018-the-year-of-the-influential-sustainable-consumer/
2 https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials
(From the editor: This article was originally published on Office Workflow Solutions.)