Do you have a home office? Whether you work from home, have a homework station for your kids, or a designated area set up for your computer, charging devices, and paying bills, you likely have a home base for office supplies and electronics.

A zero waste office is appealing for many reasons beyond environmental sustainability. Eco friendly supplies are aesthetically pleasing, and less paper and waste in general makes for a much tidier work space with fewer distractions.

Higher productivity and a calmer work space are excellent motivators to make a few simple changes – are they not?

Go Paperless

Have you considered going paperless? Mail can bring in a lot of unwanted paper every week – it takes time to sort, space to recycle or store, and it’s just not necessary for most people. Switching to paperless record keeping takes a little investment of time, but you will feel so good when you’re done, and it will save you time and reduce a lot of unnecessary waste in the long run.

First, gather all of your paper statements and make a list of all the paper bills, catalogues, and other mail you receive. The usual suspects are banking statements, utility bills, and catalogue subscriptions. Almost all service providers offer e-billing these days and most shops have digital catalogues. You’re likely to find the information you need on your statements and catalogues, on their website,  or you can call. 

Then, using your list, go through the process for each one. You may have to register for an online account with each service provider, but you can easily go paperless in one afternoon and still have full access to all of your account information online.

Another way to cut down on paper is to limit the amount of printing you do. Every time you print you use paper, energy, and ink. Do you really need to print that? Can you use both sides of the paper? Try to make use of the pages you do print – I like to save scrap paper and make little notepads. 

Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Recharge

The key to trimming your waste is to limit what you bring into your home office in the first place and taking care of what you have. Refuse things like free pens and calendars; reuse things as long as possible; invest in high quality supplies; and keep track of what you already have so that you don’t buy new things that you don’t actually need.

Shipping and Packaging

If you receive shipments in large envelopes or bubble mailers, reuse them or give them to someone who can, like a local maker with an online shop. A lot of packaging can be reused again and again, diverting unnecessary waste from the landfill.

Does your business involve shipping items regularly? If so, consider looking into recycled and recyclable packaging and supplies – like post-consumer paper envelopes, biodegradable shipping peanuts, and paper tape.

Refillable pens, pencils, and printer cartridges

Refillable printer ink cartridges, pens, pencils, and markers are a smart eco-friendly switch! There are local options for refilling printer ink and toner and specialty office supply shops may be able to order in refillable pens and markers (if not, you can order them online). Be sure to buy high quality – preferably metal or paper – pen cartridges so that you’ll never need to replace them. How elegant would it be to have a beautiful pen for a lifetime?

Rechargeable batteries

Do you need batteries for electronic devices or lights? A few sets of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger that plugs into a regular outlet is a great household investment that you will not regret.

You can also buy solar charging panels for lower-energy devices – and don’t forget about the good old solar calculator technology. (I was fascinated by my mom’s solar calculator when I was a kid!)

Greener Office Supplies

Every time you consider bringing something new into your home office – from a new ergonomic chair to paper clips – consider its environmental footprint over the course of its lifetime.

How was it made? What materials is it made of? How are they made? How is it packaged? How well made is it? Finally, what will happen to it when it reaches the end of its useful life? Can it be taken apart and recycled or is it destined for the landfill.

There are third-party certifications that make this a little bit easier to navigate. Look for ones like Energy Star and Forest Stewardship Council. Beware of green washing! Some products use green marketing tactics without anything to back it up.

Some eco-friendly office supplies I like are:

• Recycled paper (preferably 100% post-consumer waste)
• Aluminum or recycled and recyclable binders and folders
• Staple free stapler (for 4 or fewer pages)
• Recycled steel paper clips (for more than 4 pages)
• Wooden or upcycled desk accessories (like mugs, tins, and thrifted trays)

Can it be recycled?

Keep in mind that there isn’t much point to buying recyclable supplies if your local waste management doesn’t accept them. Do your research.

For local electronics recycling, find your nearest drop-off location at Recycle my Electronics.

More retailers and companies are launching take back program, like Crayola’s ColorCycle marker recycling program. You can also recycle some hard-to-recycle products from a number of companies through Terracycle. It is so important that corporations start taking responsibility for the waste their products generate – this is a step.

Cultivate a culture of sustainability

Do you share an office space with others? Consider leading a sustainability mission. Things like waste sorting, switching to greener products like refillable ink and toner and recycled paper, and adopting green policies like double-sided printing and providing reusable coffee mugs can go a long a way in a higher volume office.

If you find your home office or workplace has supplies that you no longer need, extend their useful life by donating to local schools, community centers, or not-for-profits.

There is really so much we can do to contribute to a more sustainable culture. Remember, your power as a consumer can have impact.

In our Zero Waste Home series, we’ve already visited the Kitchen and Bathroom. What area of the home would you like us to tackle next? Let us know!

Margaret Hoegg is a Simple Local Life Contributor. She is also a writer, entrepreneur, and sustainability advocate on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Margaret writes about local food, gardening, sustainability, and wellness at Living Locavore and can be found on Instagram @living.locavore.