The top 10 best eco-friendly office supplies

There is no better time than the present to modify your daily activities and make them more environmentally responsible, and choosing eco-friendly office supplies is a great place to begin. To start greening your office, simply make a list of all the supplies used and research earth-friendly alternatives.

If transforming the entire office is not in your budget, consider switching out one or two items at a time. The following are some of the best environmentally friendly supplies available to help reduce your office’s carbon footprint.

Recycled Paper Products

From envelopes to compostable paper cups and plates, recycled paper products now come in many forms. A green transition in this department will have a particularly positive impact considering how frequently paper products are used in the office.

Where to buy: greenlinepaper.com

Eco-Friendly Pens

Adopting biodegradable pens made from renewable material is a great way to make your office more green. You may even print your company logo on eco-friendly pens to give potential customers a great first impression.

Where to buy: eco-pens.com

Non-Toxic Cleaner

Why introduce formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals into the air if you don’t have to? There are plenty of green products available to clean all of the surfaces in your office while keeping the air quality up to a good standard.

Where to buy: seventhgeneration.com

Compostable Trash Bags

Disposing of non-biodegradable trash bags week after week just adds to our enormous waste problem. When you think about it, trash bags made of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material just make good environmental sense.

Where to buy: evolutionbags.com

Solar USB Chargers

The time has arrived when you can easily charge all of your office’s USB devices with solar power. This is an inexpensive green transition that every office should make to save energy, particularly for charging devices that are constantly plugged up while not in use.

Where to buy: renogy.com

Staple Free Stapler

This unique concept eliminates the need for tons of metal staples which are only used once and discarded. The device works like a hole puncher and uses the paper itself to stitch pages together.

Where to buy: madebyhumans.net

Smart Power Strips

Even when appliances and electronic devices are in standby mode, they are still using electricity. Smart power strips cut the power supply off to these gadgets and significantly cut back on electricity usage.

Where to buy: Amazon.com

LED Light Bulbs

Not only do LED lights consume less energy to produce the same amount of light, but they are also free of the toxic chemicals such as mercury. In addition, LED lights typically last six times longer than traditional lights.

Where to buy: greenlightdepot.com

Recycled Pencils

Forests the size of 90 tennis courts are cut down every minute to supply wood to make wooden pencils, according to a company known as Treewise Pencils. This company makes pencils from 100 percent recycled newspaper in an effort to combat deforestation.

Where to buy: treewisepencils.com

Biodegradable Packaging and Packing Tape

These packaging products are not only compostable but also lightweight and cut down on shipping costs. This is another great way to show your customers that your organization is environmentally responsible.

Where to buy: ecoenclose.com

For over 60,000 products that are ranked by their “greenness,” check out thegreenoffice.com. The Green Office has also developed a comprehensive Office Footprint Calculator where you can calculate your office’s carbon footprint and track your progress as you help to create a healthier planet.

—

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer