Office spring cleaning tips for faculty and staff
Recycling paper, cardboard and more
Recycling limits what goes to landfills, helping curb climate change. When recyclable items are put into the correct bin, it helps ensure materials maintain a high quality for the recycling process. Whether you have paper, cardboard or containers, there are bins and posters all around campus to help make recycling easy. Learn more about recycling in campus buildings.
Old equipment and furniture may be reutilized, recycled or auctioned as an alternative to disposal. Contact Property Services, who manage disposal of furniture and equipment purchased with ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ funds. In addition to pick-up of large items, they offer sales and auctions of used ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ property to the campus community and public.
Hard-to-recycle materials
Many special material items can be recycled through ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Recycling and the Environmental Center. These include:
Old cell phones, chargers, batteries, iPods, MP3 players or portable CD players
Computer disks, DVDs, jewel cases, floppy disks, VHS tapes and other magnetic tapes generated by campus departments (personal CDs and DVDs cannot be recycled through ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Recycling).
Office supplies such as printer and toner cartridges, Tyvek envelopes, transparencies, interdepartmental mail envelopes, three-ring binders, dividers and folders.
Plastic bags and film plastics
Lab supplies
Learn more about collection and campus drop-off locations for recycling special materials, office cleanouts and shredding services on campus.
Other sustainability tips for the office
Save energy by turning off computers, printers and copiers when you’re not in the office. Activate sleep mode on computers instead of screen-savers, and activate energy savers on copiers and printers.
Commit to bringing in or keeping reusable items at the office. This can include mugs, water bottles, tote bags, utensil sets and more.
Consider biking to or around campus over the summer. Faculty and staff can visit the UMC and Folsom bike stations for bike repairs, tune-ups and advice from mechanics on bike commuting. Faculty and staff also can get 50% off of an .
Earn your Green Office Certification
The Green Office Certification is a campus sustainability program through the Environmental Center that incorporates many campus sustainability initiatives. The program has environmental and financial impacts, with very little time commitment. Increasing staff and faculty awareness of environmental policies, operations and resources at the university will maximize participation, reduce resource consumption, save money and provide practical knowledge to pass along to students and employees. As the employer of over 7,000 faculty and staff, ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder has a tremendous impact on the community. By earning a Green Office Certificate in five easy steps, your office can have a positive lasting environmental and financial impact on the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder community. to learn more about earning a Green Office Certification from an Environmental Center staff member.