Source Reduction One method of reducing waste is by not purchasing unneeded material. Products may have unnecessary packaging, such as individually wrapped pens. Larger quantities of material may require the same amount of packaging as smaller quantities. For example, it does not require much more paperboard to hold 150 paper clips versus 100 paper clips, thus the packaging per paperclip is less. Reuse Examine the materials that can be reused and institute practices to prevent those products from winding up in the wastebasket.
Common examples are paper clips, paper with printing on only one side, and empty cardboard boxes.
When joing documents, remember paper clips can be used multiple times, while staples can only be used once. Paper with printing on only one side can be used for first draft documents for proofreading, inter-office memos, or scrap paper for jotting down notes. Often office workers are looking for boxes for household moving, carrying reports, or general storage. Composting If possible, set up a compost pile or worm bin at your place of work. A compost pile or bin is relatively easy to construct.