Easy Sustainable Product Swaps For A Greener Office

There are so many tips about how to make your home more eco-friendly - but how about the (home) office, in which we spend almost a third of our time each day? Many everyday work habits are actually wasteful and disposable when you pay closer attention, and many reusable and sustainable swaps and replacements are now readily available! 

No More Sticky Tape - Try Water-Activated Tape!

Sticky tape is not recyclable, period. But so many wonderful more eco-friendly water-activated tapes, or gummed tapes, are now available!  The tapes are paper-based, where the adhesive side is activated by water and is even stickier and stronger than other plastic tapes. Biodegradable, compostable, recyclable - so you don't have to worry about removing the tape from the cardboard box or wherever it's stuck on after use!

It sounds inconvenient that you need water to make the tape sticky, but it's all been thought out for you - these environmentally friendly sticky tapes come with a dispenser that rolls the tape in water, so it's just as easy to use as your old fashioned tape!  No more excuses :) 

Not sure where to start? We love the water-activated tape by noissue.

No More Bubble Wrap or Plastic Packaging - Try Sustainable, Recycled Versions!

There are so many environmentally friendlier packaging options now, whether they are made of recycled materials, are recyclable or biodegradable. It makes a difference as there is a ripple effect.

At Paper Saver, we use minimal packaging and the packages shipped to you are either made of recyclable or recycled materials; we also reuse packaging that we receive so that nothing is wasted!

Hero Packaging offers great environmentally friendly packaging solutions if you are looking to get started.

No More Disposable Plastic Pens - Try Reusable Sustainable Pens!

The very simple act of writing notes is actually a very wasteful one - more than 10 billion plastic pens around the world are thrown into the bin each year, ending up in landfill.  So why not try sustainable, refillable pens?

The Paper Saver Reusable Pen is not only refillable, but is made of bamboo, a sustainable material as it re-grows quickly, requires little water, and is strong and durable like wood - ideal for reusing! 

No More Sticky Notes - Try Mini Whiteboards Instead!

Small pieces of paper in general are hard to collect during the recycling process - the small pieces get stuck in other recyclable items like bottles and cans, causing contamination. So instead of buying single-use sticky notes, why not get a small trust whiteboard to make your reminders instead? 

No sticky notes were wasted in the photos depicted here!

No More Envelopes With Windows - Get Envelopes With No Plastic and Reuse Wherever Possible!

Envelopes with windows = paper + plastic = not recyclable. While envelopes with no windows are recyclable, please try to reuse them wherever possible. Many envelopes are now reusable as a return envelope, so look out for where to tear to ensure it is properly reused!

P.S. All the reply paid envelopes you receive? Reuse them too!

No More Wasted Paper or Notebooks - Try a Reusable Notebook!

Many offices have double-sided printing policies, but what happens to those odd last pieces of paper? One pagers? Misprints and printing mistakes? Artwork and design drafts? The list is longer than you think. Instead of throwing them straight into the recycling bin, reuse the other side first as page of your Paper Saver Reusable Notebook!

Tip: Place a tray near your printer and/or recycling bin for all the single-sided prints so everyone can easily collect one stack at a time for your Paper Saver Reusable Notebook.

Bulk orders or customised Paper Saver Notebooks for workplaces are also available - contact us for more information!

No More Fluorescent Lights - Replace with Energy Efficient Lights

Take advantage of government rebate when you swap to LED lights! Depending on which country or state of Australia you're in, businesses (and households) are entitled for a LED light replacement program. This upgrade helps save over 80% on energy bills! Save costs as LED lights last longer, and use less energy for a greener office.

LED lights are also better for employees' health, as standard fluorescent lights may increase UV-related eye issues by up to 12%. Fluorescent lights may also trigger headaches, affect your moods, and hence your overall well-being and productivity.  Overall, the switch would make your office much more sustainable for both your employees and environment!

No More Disposable Water Bottles or Cups - Bring Your Own Water Bottle 

Who is still using disposable plastic water bottles? No way! Whose office still has a water cooler with environmentally unfriendly disposable cups? Nooo... in 2022?! It's time you got yourself a reusable water bottle, really. 

And if you're an employer, you can install water filter taps to encourage less disposables, and save costs at the same time - no need to call for any more water cooler deliveries!

Some of our favourite reusable bottles include Rolla Bottle, memobottle, and frank green.

No More Takeaway Coffee Cups - Use Reusable Coffee Cups Instead!

Still getting takeaway coffees in takeaway cups? It is so much easier to switch to a reusable coffee cup than you think - they are relatively affordable, and cafes usually offer discounts when you bring your own cup, so it's really a win-win!

We love KeepCup and Huskee reusable coffee cups for their design and ease of use. 

No More Driving Alone - Try Carpooling with a Colleague!

It's no secret that cars cause pollution, creating greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Plus, petrol is not exactly cheap right now, so why not consider carpooling with a colleague who lives nearby? Share costs, reduce pollutants - it's a no-brainer!

Other alternatives including riding a bike to work (great exercise, good for the environment), or taking public transport (and catch up on your favourite book or that series you are binge watching during the commute!). 

We hope these ideas will enable you to see just how easy and economical it is to swap habits and items you are usually used to, for more sustainable alternatives that are just as convenient that don't break the bank!