GREEN UP YOUR OFFICE

1.    Be bright about light. 

Switch off office lights when not in use. This may seem like a no-brainer, but just think about how many office buildings and shops are lit up round the clock.  And don’t forget about the empty conference rooms and bathrooms with the lights left on (motion sensor lights could do the trick!).

2.    Maximize computer efficiency.  

Turn off your monitor and unused chargers.   Simply turning off the monitor when not in use reduces the energy required by your computer by about two thirds. Also, unplug chargers when not in use.  Mobile phone chargers continue to charge (using up to 95% of the power) even when no longer attached to the device!

3.    Print to file VS paper. 

Be a responsible printer and think before you print office documents, letters and/or emails. When required, print only the pages you need, or paste the relevant sections into a Word document and print that instead of the entire document. Also consider printing on two sides and in black only whenever possible.

4.    Ramp up your recycling. 

Recycling in the office is good for business and the environment. Utilize recycle bins for cans, plastic and paper.  Not only is going green good for a company’s morale and public image, but it can also save money and reduce waste, which is good for the bottom line.  If you recycle enough paper, it could actually become a profit center!

5.    Reuse.

Use washable coffee cups, silverware and dishware; avoid adding more plastic and paper to the landfill.  Refill plastic water bottles using a purified water system, if available. Reuse the bottle all day and save your company money and reduce waste.

EXAMPLE: An average small office of 15 people uses more than 5 tons of paper per year. 
By using 1 ton of eco-responsible paper, this is the difference your company can make environmentally:

GREEN UP YOUR MAIL

6.    Campaign planning. 

When a new campaign is being planned, design with the environment in mind.  Consider this sampling of ideas when developing your next direct mail package:

• For your envelopes, consider an open or glassine patch window made from cellulose.
• Consider reducing the size of your mail piece.  A smaller format will use less paper and save you money.
• Use a preprinted indicia or a meter on your outer envelopes. Self-adhesive stamps make the envelopes more difficult to recycle. 
• Print on both sides of the paper, and try using a lighter weight stock or a slightly smaller roll size.
• Short copy sells for mature products the prospect knows well and where the primary motivation is a great deal.
• Make sure you’re making the best use of press sizes.  With just a small reduction in the size of a component you may get more pieces out of each press sheet. 

7.    Targeted mailings. 

Be sure to use all the modeling and hygiene tools available that will help make your data as clean and accurate as possible.  Also, consider special non-deliverable mail reduction applications (ask about DMG’s DirectMAX™) that can save you up to 20% per campaign in mail sent to bad addresses.

8.    Post consumer = Good call! 

Check to ensure that your print partner has practical knowledge about the characteristics and advantages of the various recycled paper options. If possible, specify paper with at least 50 percent post-consumer content. 

9.    Think ink. 

For most direct mail projects, soy or vegetable-based inks work fine. Avoid inks containing heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, which are commonly used to produce some brighter colors.

10.    Ask green questions!

Ask your suppliers about their environmental policies and internal practices. Do they offer online proofing? Do they stock recycled or FSC certified paper?  Can they track the chain of custody? Do they use soy inks as a standard? Do they regularly recycle their wastepaper and ink?