Comments on: Reducing Plastic Waste In The Workplace http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:07:20 -0700 hourly 1 By: Glenda http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-8334 Glenda Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:56:52 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-8334 I found the Lamy Al-Star aluminum fountain pens in a nice variety of colors at [penboutique dot com]. They also carry the converter to switch from cartridges to ink refill, as well as the ink. I have the Raspberry-colored pen at the #1 item on my Christmas wish list :). (I know amazon carries the pens too, but I like using a place that specializes in pens. And the sale price they have going on right now is comparable to amazon's.) Thanks for mentioning fountain pens! At the ripe young age of 44, I just cannot write with a ballpoint pen for terribly long anymore (and I'm not a fan of rollerballs). I was happy to read fountain pens are not so hard on the hand, and I love that this brand comes in such "now" colors and aren't totally masculine. .-= Glenda´s last blog ..<a href="http://wrenandstitchy.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/gearing-up-for-the-no-impact-experiment-week/" rel="nofollow">Gearing Up for the “No Impact Experiment” Week</a> =-. I found the Lamy Al-Star aluminum fountain pens in a nice variety of colors at [penboutique dot com]. They also carry the converter to switch from cartridges to ink refill, as well as the ink. I have the Raspberry-colored pen at the #1 item on my Christmas wish list :) .

(I know amazon carries the pens too, but I like using a place that specializes in pens. And the sale price they have going on right now is comparable to amazon’s.)

Thanks for mentioning fountain pens! At the ripe young age of 44, I just cannot write with a ballpoint pen for terribly long anymore (and I’m not a fan of rollerballs). I was happy to read fountain pens are not so hard on the hand, and I love that this brand comes in such “now” colors and aren’t totally masculine.
Glenda´s last blog ..Gearing Up for the “No Impact Experiment” Week My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Erika http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6582 Erika Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:53:13 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6582 Oops, argh, posted follow-up comment to the wrong thread, sorry! Oops, argh, posted follow-up comment to the wrong thread, sorry!

]]> By: Erika http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6581 Erika Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:52:02 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6581 Err, the Lamy Safari with an ink converter, obviously! (I just sat down to refill mine, and remembered I hadn't specified the converter in my last comment.)<br /><br />They cost about $5, and let you refill your Safari from an ink bottle, rather than wasting all those cartridges. Err, the Lamy Safari with an ink converter, obviously! (I just sat down to refill mine, and remembered I hadn't specified the converter in my last comment.)

They cost about $5, and let you refill your Safari from an ink bottle, rather than wasting all those cartridges.

]]> By: Fake Plastic Fish http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6488 Fake Plastic Fish Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:31:52 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6488 Mary Kay, I totally hear you. Sometimes it's overwhelming to feel you are the only one who cares, isn't it? Mary Kay, I totally hear you. Sometimes it's overwhelming to feel you are the only one who cares, isn't it?

]]> By: Mary K http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6477 Mary K Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:24:00 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6477 Oh goodness, my office drives me nuts sometimes with the habits here. I kept picking on my boss for always using styrofoam cups for his coffee, and now he does (usually) use a mug, but the office as a whole has atrocious habits.<br /><br />We have frequent luncheons just for fun, and its sickening how much plastic ware is used, cups, utensils, plates. Sometimes we do use real plates and silverware, but only occasionally.<br /><br />We also have the typical water coolers with the big plastic jugs. While the jugs are refilled and reused, I try to avoid drinking out of plastic, so I have my own 40 oz stainless steel water bottle that I bring to work every day and have a real glass drinking glass on my desk.<br /><br />Another thing I do-- I keep all paper that I print on one side and isn't confidential in a stack to reuse in my printer when I am printing something that isn't super important.<br /><br />I also take some of the sheets and cut them into quarter sheets on the office paper cutter, creating my own note paper instead of using post-it notes all the time. I really like doing this.<br /><br />We do have paper recycling, but nothing else. We use a lot of bottled water for meetings, and I often find myself taking plastic home to recycle myself. Oh goodness, my office drives me nuts sometimes with the habits here. I kept picking on my boss for always using styrofoam cups for his coffee, and now he does (usually) use a mug, but the office as a whole has atrocious habits.

We have frequent luncheons just for fun, and its sickening how much plastic ware is used, cups, utensils, plates. Sometimes we do use real plates and silverware, but only occasionally.

We also have the typical water coolers with the big plastic jugs. While the jugs are refilled and reused, I try to avoid drinking out of plastic, so I have my own 40 oz stainless steel water bottle that I bring to work every day and have a real glass drinking glass on my desk.

Another thing I do– I keep all paper that I print on one side and isn't confidential in a stack to reuse in my printer when I am printing something that isn't super important.

I also take some of the sheets and cut them into quarter sheets on the office paper cutter, creating my own note paper instead of using post-it notes all the time. I really like doing this.

We do have paper recycling, but nothing else. We use a lot of bottled water for meetings, and I often find myself taking plastic home to recycle myself.

]]> By: Fake Plastic Fish http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6341 Fake Plastic Fish Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:37:13 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6341 Hi Bee. I don't know if you'll see this comment or not, but if you do, can you please let me know the name of the company that will change just the rubber part of the stamp? That is a great idea! Hi Bee. I don't know if you'll see this comment or not, but if you do, can you please let me know the name of the company that will change just the rubber part of the stamp? That is a great idea!

]]> By: Bee http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6327 Bee Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:12:02 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6327 Beth,a while ago I went through a phase of ridding my office place of disposable plastic, bought myself a fountain pen, used pencils instead of ball-point pens, brought in one personal, refillable fountain pen made of metal. Then I started to look for highlighters that are like pencils, i.e. without the plastic outside. You have to sharpen them, and the older type came without a lacquered outside. Unfortunately, the company seem to have tried to vamp them up a bit.<br />At uni, we used to have similar "dry" highlighters that needn't sharpening. The outside was made of paper that you could roll off as you went along using the pen. Unfortunately, those highlighters are no longer made and the ones I still have are so used down that the brand is no longer legible.<br />The main print-outs we produce every day only cover half the page, so I have begun to cut the clean part off for jotting paper before I through out the printed part.<br />As we go through so many re-organisations every year, we also change the names of our departments a lot and hence a new, beautiful plastic stamp comes along. When we got a new boss, after yet another re-structuring, I wrote the man an e-mail, suggesting we re-use the stamp and only replace the little rubberized surface where the letters are. I sent him links for the company, their products, and let him know that this way, the company could even save some money. He did take me up on the saving part, decided the department name was no longer necessary and went for the smallest size of plastic. I could have cried, here came yet another beautiful plastic stamp, while I now had two bigger ones in my desk, still useful, while my colleagues flung theirs in the garbage...<br />Also, I found out that our cleaning lady replaces the plastic bags in each our individual bins EVERY DAY as soon as some small item is thrown out. So I started putting my garbage into someone else's bin, saving at least one plastic bag. I know it isn't much... <br />I also started bringing in a personal towel that I use to dry my hands in the bathroom instead of paper towels. <br />We do use mugs for tea. But coffee is mainly drunk from disposable plastic cups.<br />Preaching won't do any good, though. Setting a good example, only so much. But then I keep trying to do at least what I can do.<br />Oh, and I am a BIG fan of the diva cup! But I still have ways to go! Once I started reading your blog, I began to realize just HOW swamped with plastic we are! So, I try my best and recycle where I can't. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and keep up the good work! Bee Beth,a while ago I went through a phase of ridding my office place of disposable plastic, bought myself a fountain pen, used pencils instead of ball-point pens, brought in one personal, refillable fountain pen made of metal. Then I started to look for highlighters that are like pencils, i.e. without the plastic outside. You have to sharpen them, and the older type came without a lacquered outside. Unfortunately, the company seem to have tried to vamp them up a bit.
At uni, we used to have similar "dry" highlighters that needn't sharpening. The outside was made of paper that you could roll off as you went along using the pen. Unfortunately, those highlighters are no longer made and the ones I still have are so used down that the brand is no longer legible.
The main print-outs we produce every day only cover half the page, so I have begun to cut the clean part off for jotting paper before I through out the printed part.
As we go through so many re-organisations every year, we also change the names of our departments a lot and hence a new, beautiful plastic stamp comes along. When we got a new boss, after yet another re-structuring, I wrote the man an e-mail, suggesting we re-use the stamp and only replace the little rubberized surface where the letters are. I sent him links for the company, their products, and let him know that this way, the company could even save some money. He did take me up on the saving part, decided the department name was no longer necessary and went for the smallest size of plastic. I could have cried, here came yet another beautiful plastic stamp, while I now had two bigger ones in my desk, still useful, while my colleagues flung theirs in the garbage…
Also, I found out that our cleaning lady replaces the plastic bags in each our individual bins EVERY DAY as soon as some small item is thrown out. So I started putting my garbage into someone else's bin, saving at least one plastic bag. I know it isn't much…
I also started bringing in a personal towel that I use to dry my hands in the bathroom instead of paper towels.
We do use mugs for tea. But coffee is mainly drunk from disposable plastic cups.
Preaching won't do any good, though. Setting a good example, only so much. But then I keep trying to do at least what I can do.
Oh, and I am a BIG fan of the diva cup! But I still have ways to go! Once I started reading your blog, I began to realize just HOW swamped with plastic we are! So, I try my best and recycle where I can't. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and keep up the good work! Bee

]]> By: Holly http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-6325 Holly Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:16:58 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-6325 Hi Beth,<br /><br />Kudos for your efforts! I too am the recycling queen at work and b/c of that, more and more people have come to me to ask about toner cartridges, yogurt cups, etc. But the breakroom is where we have the biggest problem. I recently had a yard sale and the plates that were going to go in the sale got brought to work instead for everyone's use. Also, I like to shop in thrift stores for extra spoons and forks for the breakroom. There are definitely peoople on my side but it's hard to get everyone on board. I also recycle dive and retrieve trash and nonrecyclables from the bins. Sigh!!!! Keep on truckin' and don't let it get you down. You'd be amazed at what a difference you're making! Hi Beth,

Kudos for your efforts! I too am the recycling queen at work and b/c of that, more and more people have come to me to ask about toner cartridges, yogurt cups, etc. But the breakroom is where we have the biggest problem. I recently had a yard sale and the plates that were going to go in the sale got brought to work instead for everyone's use. Also, I like to shop in thrift stores for extra spoons and forks for the breakroom. There are definitely peoople on my side but it's hard to get everyone on board. I also recycle dive and retrieve trash and nonrecyclables from the bins. Sigh!!!! Keep on truckin' and don't let it get you down. You'd be amazed at what a difference you're making!

]]> By: Kathryn Montalvo http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-5601 Kathryn Montalvo Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:17:00 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-5601 One thing I've noticed in my office? The number of cell phones we go through. We have a large sales staff and work in the tech sector where electronic labels are icebreakers at networking events. We found this site, http://www.ibuyphones.com and realized we could recoup some of our replacement expenses. I think you can even recycle on the site as well. Seriously - we were able to sell about 35 used cell phones in one month. One thing I’ve noticed in my office? The number of cell phones we go through. We have a large sales staff and work in the tech sector where electronic labels are icebreakers at networking events. We found this site, http://www.ibuyphones.com and realized we could recoup some of our replacement expenses. I think you can even recycle on the site as well. Seriously – we were able to sell about 35 used cell phones in one month.

]]> By: Emily http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-4889 Emily Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:44:00 +0000 http://fakeplasticfish.com/2007/08/reducing-plastic-waste-in-the-workplace/#comment-4889 Great ideas - <br/>I must say that you have inspired me to give up my one 20oz diet pepsi per day habit... which won't be easy. <br/>I strive to cook foods from scratch to avoid unnatural additives and I also try my best to recycle - so I thought why am I drinking these chemicals and out of a brand new plastic bottle everyday???<br/>Thanks Emily Great ideas –
I must say that you have inspired me to give up my one 20oz diet pepsi per day habit… which won’t be easy.
I strive to cook foods from scratch to avoid unnatural additives and I also try my best to recycle – so I thought why am I drinking these chemicals and out of a brand new plastic bottle everyday???
Thanks Emily

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