Old Styling at Work

filigree_2

I wonder if anyone knows the answer to this? I would like to know which is the more economical - printing with a laser printer or photocopying. I print off blank application forms on demand but I think it might be better to run off a bunch of photocopies. Any ideas?

I've just started a new job (one day I'll stop getting excited about saying that!) and one of my duties is managing the stationery supplies. Previously they were ordered just as and when someone had time, I'm the first member of staff to have it as part of their job description so I'm on a mission to sort out the mess!

I check files before I print them so there aren't any blank pages where the formatting is slightly out of kilter. I have to do bulk copying of papers that will only be glanced at once (reading them on-screen isn't an option) so from now on they are going to be double-sided and the recipients will just have to lump it.

All the nice new folders are locked away in the stock room and I'm not getting them out till the old ones are all re-used.

I will find out if our confidential shredding gets recycled (probably does) and if so I'll use it to dispose of waste paper that can't be reused.

I retrieve slightly used A4 and reuse it for personal use or for printouts that no-one else will read.

I have hidden the plastic cups and staff are urged to bring in their own cups for drinking water.

I order a stationery delivery once a week only which cuts down on transport pollution.

No more neon postits, pretty purple staplers or Pukka Pads! From now on they will get the suppliers non-branded lines which we get at a huge discount. The only exception to this is proper Cristal Bics because I prefer them and I'm in charge *cackle*

I probably shouldn't discuss the 100% employee discount I get on stationery to take home :whistle:

frosty

I was in hospital for a few days last week,and the ward I was in have had personal televisions and telephones fitted over every bed,they seem to be on all the time,they play a message on how to use them,They cost £3.50 a day (just for the tv,calls are extra)if you times this by the number of beds in the hospital,thats a lot of electricity being wasted,its a large hospital so there must be hundreds of tv on for no reason,I think I need to get in touch with PENNY POSER (no waste like home)

ashmit

Our place does try and push not driving where possible - the employee magazine has recently had an article where a couple of senior staff took a bus to a local meeting instead of a staff car and *shock horror* it was fine!!!!!! They have also pushed a local electric bus that has recently been introduced. And they offer the interest-free bike or season ticket loan - I had the money saved up for my annual bus ticket but now it sits in my ISA instead and I get the interest instead

oh, you know what really bugs me? Our printers are set to double sided. If I'm printing agendas for a meeting, it takes that to mean that one agenda should be printed each side. Now THAT is a waste of ink (I give any ones that misprint when I forget to sort it out to internal staff, so they're not wasted, but it's very frustrating!).

scuzz

Does anyone else hope that by reducing costs in the office, their pay or bonuses might go up

MrsB_2

DH and I run our own business from a small rented office. We do the following:

Recycle ALL paper (re-use / print on both sides first)
Recycle ALL plastic bottles (unfortunately I cant find anywhere to recycle other plastic )
Recycle all our printer cartridges by sending them to a charity for premature babies (they sell them for refilling / recycling)
Recycle all our cardboard boxes - if we cant re-use them they go to the recycling centre.
Re-use all the packaging 'bulkers' that come in parcels (like bubble wrap)
Turn off all computers / lights / printers / etc every night.
Travel to work in one car as much as is possible (which sadly isnt always as easy as you might think for 2 people who live and work together!!)
Print our own stamps directly on to envelopes (using SmartStamp)

Ermmm, cant think of anymore, but I'm sure there's other stuff.

scuzz

Just thought of something else. We save all jiffy bags to send out prize CDs to listners

Savvy_Sue

filigree wrote:

I wonder if anyone knows the answer to this? I would like to know which is the more economical - printing with a laser printer or photocopying. I print off blank application forms on demand but I think it might be better to run off a bunch of photocopies. Any ideas?

I don't know, but I encourage my colleagues to only print one copy and CHECK IT rather than printing 50 the first time. The only problem with this is that the copier bit often gets marks on the scanner for the ADF and apparently no-one but me knows how to clean it!

My tips: A4 sized envelopes. If opened along the short edge, cut that off at an angle, leaving an open-ended wallet in which you can file papers. So in my main file for stationery orders, I have such wallets for each supplier's orders. Makes it much easier to carry stuff around: if you drop it you're less likely to scatter papers all over the floor. When I used cardboard files open on 3 sides it was also much easier to mis-file. Also good if you're filing by month.

And when our accounts go off to the auditors, all the different 'categories' are filed in such wallets - invoices, salary details, pensions, bank statements etc. I hope they're impressed!

Next tip: if you have a lot of forms which need copying from time to time, and you get fed up of the last copy being taken and not replaced so you have to go and hunt out where it is on computer and reprint it, write on the original with a YELLOW highlighter. No-one will steal it, and the yellow won't show up when it's printed. You can also add instructions - what colour paper this form should be on, whether it's double sided or not etc.

Lucie_2

I work from home one or two days per week & am out on the road for the rest of the time. I've swopped my gas guzzling 27mpg 4x4 for a much more economical diesel car (at least 50mpg).
All my paper gets recycled after being used for note taking & I try to print things out only when absolutely necessary. Most of my correspondance is via email.
When you work from home it's quite easy to OS at work!

ashmit

Savvy_Sue wrote:

My tips: A4 sized envelopes. If opened along the short edge, cut that off at an angle, leaving an open-ended wallet in which you can file papers. So in my main file for stationery orders, I have such wallets for each supplier's orders. Makes it much easier to carry stuff around: if you drop it you're less likely to scatter papers all over the floor. When I used cardboard files open on 3 sides it was also much easier to mis-file. Also good if you're filing by month.

You are a genius.

Next tip: if you have a lot of forms which need copying from time to time, and you get fed up of the last copy being taken and not replaced so you have to go and hunt out where it is on computer and reprint it, write on the original with a YELLOW highlighter. No-one will steal it, and the yellow won't show up when it's printed. You can also add instructions - what colour paper this form should be on, whether it's double sided or not etc.

And again I say, you are a genius. I don't have any uses for that one personally right now but I will pass it on to the other secretaries at the next meeting.

ashmit

Bringing this thread back! Anyone got any idea which is more environmentally friendly - using paper hand towels or a hand drier?