Role

Purchasing and procurement should be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. This includes the purchase of both services and goods (i.e. workplace equipment, furniture, fittings etc).

Sustainable purchasing is aimed at improving the health of workplace environments – through improved air quality and reduced pollution; reduce waste; and reduce energy use over the product’s lifecycle. The employee’s commitment includes:

• Conduct a life cycle impact assessment of all products purchased.
• Purchase 100% recycled products where possible e.g. paper, toilet/hand towel paper.
• Employees should purchase recycled paper from the University Stores.
• Minimisation of goods and services purchased – reconsider necessity.

Example

It takes considerably more time, power, noise, and heat to print a single page on a printer that is four years old than it does on a new one. There are some things you will need to take into account when purchasing a new printer.

Consider a larger network laser printer for a workgroup rather than several smaller ones - more pages per minute, larger memory, consumes less net power than several smaller printers.

A larger laser printer uses fewer ink/toner cartridges per page when compared to a smaller one, particularly a bubble jet printer.

A printer will typically remain on all day (maintaining the lamp and roller temperatures ready for print). The typical Multi-Function Device will consume about 45 watts in EnergySaver mode! Look at the printer’s specifications for standby power demand of less than 15 watts. Some printers will consume over 40 watts even in standby mode. Even better – make sure your office turns the printer off when it is not in use afterhours.

Larger laser printers allow for Duplex printing (double-sided) - This reduces power consumption and halves paper use.