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RecycleMania

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March 27, 2012, Volume 58, No. 27
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Spring Cleaning for RecycleMania Office Clean-Out Guide

You know there is lots of stuff in your offices, file cabinets and closets that can be recycled! An office clean out can help your office realize the amount of waste generated in-house and what type of sustainable practices would work best for your space. Do an office clean out during RecycleMania! Make it count! Here’s how:

Step 1: Plan Ahead
Determine the best date for an Office Clean Out. Decide the scale of your clean out (your office, certain departments, entire floor). Housekeeping will try to accommodate the desired date, but it may need to be adjusted due to resourcing constraints (additional containers, etc).

Step 2: Contact Facilities and Real Estate Services
Contact FRES for Housekeeping support.

Use Facility Focus to contact FRES Housekeeping for support to remove material from your office and to provide large containers to collect recyclables, www.facilities.upenn.edu/serv_repair.php  You can also call the Work Control Center for this request.

Step 3: Obtain Additional Recycling Containers
Regular office recycling containers
Order from the Penn Markplace’s online catalog: see Rubbermaid recycling containers that are available.

• Batteries
Your office can use the Big Green Box program to recycle portable electronics and all batteries, including alkaline. The Big Green Box is shipped to your office pre-constructed. Place the box in a convenient location and start recycling your portable electronics and batteries. Once the box is full, drop it off at any FedEx shipping location to have the contents recycled. Shipping costs are included in the initial price of the box. You can also find a drop off location for these items through www.call2recycle.org/ 

• Pens/Pencils
All brands of pens and markers are acceptable. For every writing instrument that Penn recycles, the University will receive two cents ($0.02) which will be designated to the new Green Fund. www.purchasing.upenn.edu/green-initiative/sanford.php

• Printer Toner/Inkjet cartridges
If you need a collection box for used ink and toner cartridges, simply request to Telrose Corporation Customer Service and a box will be delivered to you free of charge. www.purchasing.upenn.edu/green-initiative/green-g.php

• Unneeded furniture and equipment
Offer to the Penn Community using Ben’s Attic! See https://upenn.unl.edu/

• Computers, Printers and other Electronics
Separate out and arrange for e-waste pick up. See www.upenn.edu/computing/greenit/equipment.htmlfor more information.

• Excess Single-sided printed paper
During your clean out, collect single-sided printed paper. You can take this to the Campus Copy Center to be made into notepads, see www.campuscopycenter.com

• Shredding confidential items
Confidential items that will need to be shredded.

Step 4: Let People Know!
Notify your office colleagues of the office clean out via email, staff newsletter, meetings. Be sure to include what items they can recycle:
• Paper
• Cardboard
• Bottles/Cans
• Plastics (#1-7)                                 
• Magazines   
• Catalogs/phonebooks
• Pens/Pencils                   
• Toner/Injet Cartridges                 
• Batteries

Questions?  Need Help? Contact sustainability@upenn.edu

—Green Campus Partnerships


Waste Reduction and Recycling Tips

BinReport buildings without recycling bins: The first step to increasing Penn’s recycling rate is ensuring that bins are available in each building on campus. If your building does not have recycling bins, email sustainability@upenn.edu and let us know.

 

 

RecyclingLearn what can and cannot be recycled at Penn: Learn more about what Penn recycles on the Facilities and Real Estate Services website and visit the Green Campus Partnership Resources page to download posters for your building.

 

Trash canGo beyond recycling: Reduce Your Waste:  People tend to become very enthusiastic about recycling paper, plastic, and metals, but often lose sight of the importance of reducing the amount of waste they generate. Be conscious of what you toss in the trash and think about what you could possibly reuse or recycle instead of throw away. Learn more about what Penn recycles on the Facilities and Real Estate Services website.

 

BarcodeImprove your purchasing practices: Avoid buying things you don’t really need and items with short life spans. Consolidate your orders to reduce packaging and purchase products that you can reuse rather than throw away after a single use. Then complete the cycle by purchasing products made from recycled materials. Visit Purchasing Services’ new Green Purchasing website to take advantage of discounts on green products for your office or department.

Reduce, reuse and recycle paper and cardboard: Mixed paper and cardboard alone make up approximately 40% of Penn’s overall waste stream. Reduce the amount of paper you use by printing only when necessary, double-siding jobs, and reusing one-sided pages. Flatten and recycle all cardboard boxes, recycle old newspapers and magazines, and email sustainability@upenn.edu to arrange a hard cover book pickup.

BottleBring your own bottle and get your fill: Many Penn departments and College Houses have installed UV tap water filters so you can refill without paying for bottled water. In addition, various campus retail locations will reward those who reduce their waste throughout RecycleMania by offering discounts for bringing your own mug, cup, or bottle to use.

WasteDispose of electronic and universal waste properly:  Penn recycles everything from old computers, electronics, and appliances, to compact fluorescent light bulbs and batteries. Visit the Green Campus Partnership website to learn when and where you can drop off your e-waste.

 

BillsPay your bills online: Virtually every company now offers paperless billing with email reminders, so you can start to chop down that stack of envelopes on your desk instead of the trees used to make them.

 

Penn MovesGot junk? Donate it to PennMOVES at the end of the year: Since 2007, Penn Business Services has conducted PennMOVES, a campus recycling and re-use drive during move-out. Items collected are re-sold during a two-day event in early June, with the proceeds benefitting West Philadelphia charity organizations identified by The United Way.

Almanac - March 27, 2012, Volume 58, No. 27