Green office supplies - a business case

Did you know that Office Max has green office supplies? In 2008, Office Max partnered with TerraCycle to provide office and school supplies with recycled materials. TerraCycle specializes in reducing the planet's waste stream by developing eco-friendly manufacturing processes for a wide range (and ever-expanding) line of products. 

The company started with green cleaners and eco-friendly lawn/plant products. After identifying the opportunity in the office supply market, TerraCycle moved in through a strategic partnership with Office Max...

In one stop, I was able to get everything I needed for my expanding business. Here are a few of the interesting items I found from Terracycle:
- 100% recycled pocket folders
- Corn plastic and paper pens
- Eco-binders: 100% recycled paper and 90% recycled steel - they will also collect your used products to be reused in their manufacturing process
- TerraCycle E-Waste trash can: 100% recycled plastic trashcan made from crushed computers and other waste that would have otherwise gone to the landfill (yay!)
- 100% recycled dividers
- Cork board (made from wine corks)
- Tree-free paper (made from your choice of coffee leaves, banana peels, or straw)
- Computer bag made from billboard vinyl with a seatbelt strap

Other green materials offered by Office Max:
- 100% recycled copy paper
- 30% recycled paper of all types
- 95% and 100% recycled hanging folders
- Recycled content file folders
- Recycled content daily calendars (one even had a list of 'ingredients' highlighting the recycled materials)

Needless to say I made a few purchases. Surprisingly, many times the eco-friendly choice was pennies more than the traditional version. I don't propose making purchases that don't make sense for your business, but for me any added expense is more of an investment. If I'm going to tell other companies how to be more eco-friendly, then I'd better make those same choices.

The fact that Office Max has decided to offer these products to the mass market is an indication that there is demand in the marketplace. As people purchase these items more manufacturers will rush to meet that demand for recycled content products. As the supply increases, the price will drop. The argument of eco-friendly decisions being more expensive will be removed from the conversation. Not only is this helping to develop an industry, it provides an opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to capture a new market.

I am really impressed with TerraCycle and hope to use more of their products over time. The firm is actually developing a market for the materials they use in their products. Instead of purchasing the raw materials for their products, TerraCycle incentivizes people to collect the materials for re-sale to the company. Through an elaborate (yet simple) collection program, the company can draw attention to recycling and recycled products, increase their collection capacity, and divert tons of waste from the landfill. I call that a win-win-win...