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- Choose stationery, office and publication papers and office paper supplies that have the maximum post-consumer content available, and no less than 20%.
- Choose papers that are the lightest weight possible, not to exceed the following basis weights (i.e., weight in pounds per carton of 5,000 8.5" x 11" sheets):
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| Direct mail letters and envelopes |
40 to 50# text |
| Reply cards, post cards or business cards |
60# text |
| Newsletters |
47# text |
| Reports |
47 to 50# text for most reports;
60# text for those requiring high opacity |
| Report covers |
80# cover |
| Letterhead and envelopes |
60# text (equal to 24# bond) |
| Copy paper |
50# text (equal to 20# bond) |
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- If a paper containing post-consumer content is available only at a higher basis weight, choose it only if its virgin fiber content does not exceed the above basis weight.
- For office supplies not intended to be used for writing or for printing of text (e.g., file folders, envelopes), choose unbleached paper. (NOTE: "Manila" folders and envelopes are actually bleached and then dyed to achieve their distinctive color. Look for unbleached alternatives.)
- Where bleached paper is needed, choose a paper made from pulp that is nearest as possible to the top of the following "bleaching" hierarchy (you'll likely need to ask your vendors to provide this information, which they will in turn need to obtain from their suppliers):
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- Kraft or recycled pulp bleached using TCF (totally chlorine free) processes
- Kraft pulp made using oxygen delignification or extended delignification, and bleached without elemental chlorine
- Kraft pulp made using oxygen delignification or extended delignification, and bleached using some residual elemental chlorine
- Kraft pulp bleached without elemental chlorine but not made using oxygen delignification or extended delignification
- TO BE AVOIDED: kraft pulp bleached using only elemental chlorine, and sulfite pulps, including those that are TCF
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- Look for papers containing pulp made from agricultural residues. Pulps made from materials such as wheat straw or rice straw are environmentally preferable. They may substitute for or be combined with post-consumer recycled material to meet the minimum 20% post-consumer recycled content specification (e.g., 20% wheat straw or 10% each of wheat straw and post-consumer recycled content).
- If you are using a paper grade using mechanical pulp (e.g., newsprint or other uncoated "groundwood" type papers such as telephone directory paper), look for papers containing pulp made from kenaf, an annual fiber crop. However, chemical pulps made from annual crops grown in the U.S. (kenaf or hemp) are not environmentally preferable, based on information available at this time, and their use is not encouraged.
- In identifying and choosing among papers, the following sequence of questions should be used by the purchaser and his/her supplier or printer both to gather the information needed to apply the above specifications and to obtain the most environmentally preferable papers:
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- What is the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content (or pulp content derived from agricultural residues) available for this type of paper and application? How much total recycled content does the paper have? (Specify whether the measurement is by fiber weight or by total weight.)
- What is the lowest basis weight that can be used in this application?
- Can unbleached paper be used? If not:
Is paper made from kraft or recycled TCF pulps available? If not,
- Is paper made from ECF (elemental chlorine free) pulp available? If so,
Is the ECF pulp made using OD or ED?
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- Avoid coated papers where possible, unless the coating allows use of a paper with a lower basis weight than the uncoated alternative, for example by providing greater opacity. Here's a sample calculation:
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- Paper 1 is 80# uncoated cover paper. Thus, all 80# is fiber.
- Paper 2 is 70# coated cover paper, and uses a 20# coating to achieve the same opacity as the thicker sheet. Thus, 50# is fiber.
- Paper 2 is acceptable because it is of a lower basis weight. It also requires less fiber.
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- Think twice before using colored papers. Avoid papers dyed using neon and other deep colors (e.g., red, goldenrod); they interfere with recycling because of the difficulty in removing such dyes during the recycling process.* Pastel colors are generally acceptable for recycling. However, any colored paper is produced using various dyes or pigments, the production of which creates environmental impacts. Avoid use of such papers whenever you can.
- Avoid papers dyed using neon and other deep colors (e.g., red, goldenrod); they interfere with recycling because of the difficulty in removing such dyes during the recycling process.* Pastel colors are generally acceptable for recycling. However, any colored paper is produced using various dyes or pigments, the production of which creates environmental impacts. Avoid use of such papers whenever you can.
- Avoid using envelopes with covered windows wherever possible, in order to enhance their recyclability. While covered windows may be needed for certain envelopes that are stuffed mechanically in order to avoid jams and tearing (and the associated waste), any windows present on reply envelopes should not be covered.
- Use adhesives on envelopes and mailing labels only if they are water-based and do not contain chlorinated organic compounds, many of which are persistent, toxic chemicals.
Avoid the use of adhesive labels wherever possible. Peel-and-stick labels should be avoided in particular; their adhesives are typically not water-based.
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- Choose printers and specify your print jobs to ensure that the printer uses a fountain solution that does not contain isopropyl alcohol or ethylene glycol ethers, and contains less than 2% volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as applied to the press. Ask your printer what else they are doing to reduce VOCs, which contribute to smog formation. For example, some printers have had success with low-VOC press washes.
- Avoid any and all inks that contain added arsenic, antimony, cadmium, chromium, lead or mercury (these can be present especially in imported inks). Avoid as much as possible metallic or neon inks, which can contain toxic metals.
- Only choose inks that do not contain chlorinated organic compounds, and look for inks that contain the highest possible percentage of waste inks (also known as "reblended" inks). Avoid "special order" inks (special colors) because they create waste from additional equipment cleaning and set-up.
- Watch those glues and coatings! Use water-based, non-chlorinated glues, or non-adhesive bindings.
- Ask for cleaner, greener printing. Tell your printers you want a product with minimal environmental impact and work with them to design it. Ask them what they are doing to minimize air and water pollution, energy use, and chemical waste. You may not be an expert about environmental hazards, but you can still ask printers to avoid them. It shouldn't dramatically change the quality or price of your piece. The more printers hear about your concerns, the sooner they will make improvements.
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- Publish or distribute documents electronically wherever possible. If you have a web site, make your publications available for viewing and download. Assemble email lists and send an email version instead of hard copies of your publications. An added benefit is that emailed publications can readily be distributed by the recipient to additional recipients, thereby easily spreading your work.
- Don't overprint: Take care to calculate how many copies you really need, and consider print-on-demand services, which can more readily print and reprint in small batches. This simple precaution will save a lot of energy and material, not to mention money.
- Where reports or newsletters mush be published in hard copy, there are may ways to reduce paper use:
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- Print on both sides of the paper.
- Use line spacing of no more than 1.5, and single space wherever possible.
- Lay out your publication with the minimum necessary white space.
- Minimize ink coverage for cover and graphics, generally avoiding bleeds (covering the entire page with ink)
Avoid varnishes.
- If adhesive binding is necessary, do not use those containing chlorinated organic compounds.
- Before sending out free reports, consider mailing a post card first, notifying your intended recipients that the report is available if they want it and providing the means for them to order a copy. This approach ensures that your reports are actually used.
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- Label your publications with relevant environmental information about how it was produced. The more readers know about the paper you used and how a document was printed, the more likely is it that they will consider using similar practices. You should specify at least the following:
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- Total and post-consumer recycled content: x% recycled (y% post consumer) paper
- TCF, if applicable
basis weight for text and cover
- Nature of fountain solution and ink characteristics
- If you have response cards or return envelopes and will be recycling them upon receipt, indicate so on the document.
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- Avoid unnecessarily printing your documents: Retaining documents on your computer rather than in hard copy not only saves paper; it also saves on file storage space and keeps them right at your fingertips. If you travel, it also means less paper to carry with you.
- Before you print a document, train yourself to always use the spell check and print preview functions of your word processing software (and other applications where available).
- Edit and add comments to documents on your computer, rather than by hand on a hard copy. Learn to use the revision marking function available in most word processing software to make your changes. Not only will this save paper; it will also save you time, because the changes only have to be made once rather than twice (first on paper, then in the computer file).
- Set up your printer and photocopier to make two-sided copying be the default mode.
- Scan your letterhead into the computer to produce an electronic copy that can be used as a template for those documents you want to appear on letterhead. This can allow you to e-mail, rather than always have to print and snail-mail or fax, letters and other documents that you want to appear on your stationery. It also allows these documents to be printed (with the letterhead displayed) on paper that is lighter weight than most stationery.
- If more than one person needs to look at the same document, when possible place a routing slip on the document instead of making copies.
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- Get used to exchanging documents with colleagues via email instead of in hard copy. Either include your document as an e-mail attachment or, if the recipient cannot receive attachments, copy the text into the body of the e-mail.
- Avoid printing out emails you receive unless absolutely necessary.
- Make sure your business cards have your e-mail address on them, and request the e-mail addresses of your contacts, along with their phone and fax numbers.
- Get software that allows you to send and receive faxes via your computer, rather than having to print them out before sending or upon receiving. When faxing to or receiving faxes from other parties who have such capability, paper is saved on both ends.
- Avoid a cover page when possible (again saving paper on both ends): For informal faxes, simply write "To" and From" in a blank space on the document you're sending, or use a "Post-It" style fax label.
- When purchasing or leasing a fax machine, specify one that uses plain paper rather than special fax paper. Some special paper deteriorates with age, so using plain paper eliminates the need to photocopy the original fax for archive purposes. You can also then use environmentally preferable paper in your fax machine (hopefully already being used in office printers and photocopiers), such as one with high post-consumer recycled content.
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- Compile a master list of all supplies and equipment used by your organization, and identify environmentally preferred options as well as suppliers for each. Select equipment that has minimal emissions and energy use during operation and is low-maintenance.
- Purchase or lease copiers and printers that have two-sided printing capability and the ability to set this as the default mode.
- Purchase or lease copiers and printers that work with a broad range of plain office papers; avoid "finicky" machine models that limit your paper choices and require frequent maintenance.
- Purchase or lease copiers and printers that offer recycled toner cartridges and provide for recycling of spent cartridges.
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- Set up and maintain convenient recycling areas for at least the following materials: paper, plastic, steel, aluminum, and glass. Post clear instructions as to what is recyclable on or near each container.
- Train staff in the proper procedures. Make such training a part of new staff orientation.
- Establish an expectation of compliance on the part of all staff, for example, through the issuance of a statement from your senior management. Look for ways to reward exemplary recycling behavior on the part of staff. Identify instances of non-compliance, and take appropriate steps to correct/discourage it.
- Encourage staff who cannot recycle certain items at home to bring those items to the office to recycle.
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- Use caterers who use reusable food service ware (cups, glasses, dishes, etc.).
- Provide staff with reusable coffee mugs and other food service items as appropriate, and encourage them to use them in place of disposable products.
- Carefully estimate needs to avoid over-ordering of food and beverages.
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- Keep a stock of used envelopes handy for use in sending inter-office mail and, whenever possible, outside organizations and individuals.
- Write to or call senders of unwanted mail or mail sent to past staff members, and ask to be removed from their mailing lists.
- Notify staff who receive unwanted mail at the office or at home that they can contact the association below to be removed from mailing lists: Mail Reference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 3861, New York, NY 10163-3861.
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