Up and down the country office supplies are consistently wasted, from accidental multiple photocopies, through to inaccurate stationery orders which aren’t rectified. The very fact that paper, printer cartridges and the ilk are often referred to as ‘consumables’ demonstrates the extent to which we live in a consumptive society and goes a way to explaining why stationery stock levels are anything but stationary.

As of late there has been a fresh emphasis on the ethical obligation of corporate entities, particularly with regard to their accountability for the environmental impact of their activities. The public focus has particularly gravitated towards heavyweight companies, notably supermarkets, who have responded by implementing small changes to their operation that ultimately have a substantial impact on minimising their detrimental effect on the earth.

The most prominent of these changes is the recent switch away from spurious distribution of plastic, disposable carrier bags. By promoting ‘bags for life’ and condoning the re-use of plastic carrier bags, major supermarkets are undoubtedly making a dent in their damage to the environment. The ‘every little helps’ attitude has extended beyond a company slogan and into something of a manifesto on environmentally ethical practice. This ethos can comfortably be embraced by considerably smaller companies with regard to their office consumables, whilst you can’t have ‘printer paper for life’ there are now abundant options for recycled office supplies.

Availability of recycled products has extended far beyond paper to such items as folders, desk tidys, bubble-wrap, even recycled recycling bins. Furthermore, unlike previously, recycled products are by no means prohibitively priced, with so many manufacturers turning to more environmentally conscious products it is a highly competitive market: forcing prices down to levels comparable with non-recycled products.

At the risk of coming across evangelical: it is the responsibility of all to ensure the longevity or our planet and the ‘every little helps’ mantra has no more relevant application than to the field of environmentally ethical practice. Whether a company chooses to just reduce waste by refilling ink cartridges, help preserve forests by using recycled paper or goes the whole way and only utilises recycled or sustainable consumables the overall outcome will benefit all in the long run and have no impact on either profit margins or the earth.

To view OfficeYoo’s competitively priced recycled and environmentally conscious products click here.