Office Depot launches it's 2007 'Green Book'

Office Depot has launched its new 'Green Book' the company's annual catalog of 3,000 'environmentally preferable products.'

"Year-over-year we are seeing a significant increase in the number of customers wanting to 'green' their purchasing practices," says the company, which has its headquarters in Delray Beach, Florida.

I sat in on a presentation yesterday by Office Depot's Environmental Strategy Advisor, Yalmaz Siddiqui, who was speaking at a Green Purchasing Summit in Miami.
Siddiqui, and other participants think 'green procurement' is here to stay, saying it has now joined cost, services and quality as one of the pillars of the purchasing industry. In his speech, titled 'Debunking the Myths about Green Procurement,' Siddiqui said it's not just green for the sake of being green. It's actually about sensible business practices, such as increasing efficiency and reducing waste.
"People think green means increased cost and poor quality," he said. Not true, he added.

The key, Siddiqui says, is not to seek perfection. In the past that kind of absolutist approach by environmentalists turned companies off. But things have changed as more rational ideas are being developed. "No-one is pure and perfect," says Siddiqui. Instead, a new concept of progress, rather than perfection, is taking hold.
"Old green is perfection,"  he said. "New green is all about progress."

Under this new concept, green means:
1./ measures that reduce pressure on natural resources
2./ measures that reduce energy and fuel use.
3./ measures that reduce use of chemicals

Office Depot has found that its green practices are savings the company $6.2 million in energy costs alone, Siddiqui said, while also boosting its brand name. For example, it's new Sprinter Vans are 40 per cent more fuel efficient. The company even uses a road mapping system to reduce the number of left turns its vehicles must take - thereby reducing idel time!
The compoany is also switching from wood to plastic pallets, as well as recycle its corrugated cardboard which it used to pay to have dumped in landfill.

Features of The Green Book include:

    * Over 2,200 recycled or remanufactured products and 600 items with environmental benefits other than recycled, such as reduced energy, non-toxic, refillable and rechargeable.
    * 500 new environmentally-preferable products ranging from furniture and cleaning supplies with reduced chemicals, to solar charging business cases.
    * Explanations on what constitutes a greener office (e.g., Green Guard Furniture, Energy Star-rated lights and technology, recycled paper and remanufactured ink and toner cartridges).
    * Check lists and self assessment guides to help any business better gauge their green rating (e.g., what office products are you currently recycling?; do you print on both sides of the page?; do you recycle your old ink and toner cartridges and purchase remanufactured ones?).
    * Listing of the greenest office products rated by their environmental attribute (e.g., recycled, Energy Star-rated, low toxic, refillable, rechargeable, etc.).
    * Tips and Solutions for a greener Worklife (i.e., recycle e-waste, use by sides of the paper when printing; purchase a reusable mug).

Click here to find out more about 'buying green.'

Click here to order a copy of The Green Book.

- David Adams