| Up and down the country office supplies are | | | | into something of a manifesto on environmentally |
| consistently wasted, from accidental multiple | | | | ethical practice. This ethos can comfortably be |
| photocopies, through to inaccurate stationery orders | | | | embraced by considerably smaller companies with |
| which aren't rectified. The very fact that paper, printer | | | | regard to their office consumables, whilst you can't |
| cartridges and the ilk are often referred to as | | | | have 'printer paper for life' there are now abundant |
| 'consumables' demonstrates the extent to which we | | | | options for recycled office supplies. |
| live in a consumptive society and goes a way to | | | | Availability of recycled products has extended far |
| explaining why stationery stock levels are anything but | | | | beyond paper to such items as folders, desk tidys, |
| stationary. | | | | bubble-wrap, even recycled recycling bins. Furthermore, |
| As of late there has been a fresh emphasis on the | | | | unlike previously, recycled products are by no means |
| ethical obligation of corporate entities, particularly with | | | | prohibitively priced, with so many manufacturers turning |
| regard to their accountability for the environmental | | | | to more environmentally conscious products it is a |
| impact of their activities. The public focus has | | | | highly competitive market: forcing prices down to levels |
| particularly gravitated towards heavyweight | | | | comparable with non-recycled products. |
| companies, notably supermarkets, who have | | | | At the risk of coming across evangelical: it is the |
| responded by implementing small changes to their | | | | responsibility of all to ensure the longevity or our planet |
| operation that ultimately have a substantial impact on | | | | and the 'every little helps' mantra has no more relevant |
| minimising their detrimental effect on the earth. | | | | application than to the field of environmentally ethical |
| The most prominent of these changes is the recent | | | | practice. Whether a company chooses to just reduce |
| switch away from spurious distribution of plastic, | | | | waste by refilling ink cartridges, help preserve forests |
| disposable carrier bags. By promoting 'bags for life' and | | | | by using recycled paper or goes the whole way and |
| condoning the re-use of plastic carrier bags, major | | | | only utilises recycled or sustainable consumables the |
| supermarkets are undoubtedly making a dent in their | | | | overall outcome will benefit all in the long run and have |
| damage to the environment. The 'every little helps' | | | | no impact on either profit margins or the earth. |
| attitude has extended beyond a company slogan and | | | | |