4th Floor Crowned Paper Throw-Down Champ, Helps Curb Wasteful Printing

DURHAM - During the month of November 2008, Self Help Credit Union’s headquarters hosted its first ever "Paper Throw-Down Challenge". The challenge was simple; reduce the amount of paper being used in the office over a 30-day period. Two floors known for using the most paper, the 4th floor (Human Resources Department) and the 7th floor (Loans Department), faced off against each other to see who could most successfully cut their paper use.

To start, a page counter was attached to each printer on the two floors. Then, each floor employed several tactics to help cut back on printing, such as emailing daily paper saving tips to remind team members to print sparingly and posting signs around the office to encourage all employees to participate in the challenge. The 4th floor even placed a bell next to the printer and was rung by team members each time they used the printer.

After a month, the results were in, and both floors were able to reduce their paper consumption by over 40 percent. Not only did this challenge help to save the environment, but it also saved Self-Help money on office supply costs. In the end, the 4th floor team was victorious by only .2 percent over the 7th floor. The challenge demonstrated to all employees that small behavioral changes can have a very big impact.

Self-Help‘s green team, called the Environmental Stewardship Committee, hosted this event. This group has been initiating several green projects in their office, including the Paper Throw-Down. Another project, "A Plug for the Mug", encourages all employees to bring their own mugs to the office to eliminate the use of Styrofoam and paper cups. This inspired other projects, such as reducing their use of plastic utensils in their kitchen area. The Environmental Stewardship Committee also previously offered a screening of "An Inconvenient Truth" to help motivate employees to be more environmentally conscious.

To get a step-by-step guide on how to implement these kinds of green projects in your workplace, click on the "Project Ideas" link in Green Team Central.