An inspiring video clip

Posted 5 April 2013 | | 0 Comments

We think this short video clip should be seen by everyone, it is truly inspiring:

Click here to watch it

by Matt Roper | 5 April 2013

Supporting Schools to secure Eco Flag

Posted 4 March 2013 | | 0 Comments

Are you a school looking to achieve Eco Flag status? Why not use our online webshop at GreenBuying.co.uk to purchase your eco friendly supplies, which will help support your drive to help the environment. Our most popular products with schools are recycled stationery supplies, non toxic cleaning supplies, recycling bins and children's outdoor playground equipment (made of 100% recycled plastic).

by M Roper | 4 March 2013

New UBIN recycling bins made of 100% recycled plastic

Posted 18 February 2013 | | 0 Comments

We are really thrilled at GreenBuying.co.uk to be offering a brand new range of recycling bins made out of 100% post consumer plastic waste - and what is more, the carbon footprint is lower as all of the waste materials come from the good old United Kingdom!

Called the Ubin, they are 70 litres in capacity and come as standard with an specially designed insert and WRAP colour coded sticker which displays the appropriate waste stream being collected. Waste streams covered include general waste, mixed glass, plastic bottles, mixed recycling, cans and paper and card. As a special introductory offer, we have priced them at just £59.99 (£44 if general waste bin which has no insert). So hurry whilst we keep these prices artificially low! Click here to see the range on our website.

by M Roper | 18 February 2013

Make 2013 the year you take steps to helping the environment!

Posted 7 January 2013 | | 0 Comments

Happy New Year from our team at GreenBuying.co.uk!

We've all suffered from terrible weather conditions over the last 12 months, with UK having officially the second wettest weather since records began. We all know that something very strange and troubling is happening with our climate with lots of extreme weather and that our purchasing behaviour around the globe is a major contributory factor.

Now we don't pretend that buying more recycled business supplies will make a huge impact, but to borrow a phrase from a well known supermarket, "every little helps"...so make this the year that you start taking steps to reduce your environmental impact - and what better than to re-direct your stationery and office supplies spend to GreenBuying.co.uk!!

Remember that unlike the vast majority of stationery and office supplies suppliers, we ONLY sell eco friendly products. We also care about customer service and work hard to ensure that your items arrive quickly and in the right quality. Plus we are determined to maintain very low prices.

So why not give us a try?!

by Matt Roper | 7 January 2013

Why Christmas isn't green but could be...

Posted 11 December 2012 | | 0 Comments

I love Christmas - with young kids it makes it even more special. But if only children's toys weren't so over packaged. Plus wouldn't it be great if the vast majority of toys weren't made of non recyclable mixed plastics and shipped half way round the world!! I am also increasingly uncomfortable with the concept of sending out christmas cards in the post. All that paper and card, all that fuel in moving the cards around.

Now I don't pretend that I've never sent a Christmas card, and my kids will tell me I'm a fibber if I say I've never purchased a plastic toy from overseas (to boycott such things would deem me to be an unfit Dad!). But that said, I'm constantly on the look out for ways to minimise my carbon footprint at Christmas time. Here are some thoughts...

E-cards; recycled presents from charity shops; old scrap paper for wrapping presents with; recycled cardboard boxes from supermarkets to contain larger presents; selecting gifts which use least amount of packaging; making presents yourself or buy presents that have been made by local people which will in turn help local shops...

Please leave comments about your own ideas for reducing the carbon footprint this Christmas..

And finally, as a special gift of our own to everyone this festive season, simply add "TWT1212" into the discount field of our online shop to enjoy a 5% discount off items (this discount lasts until Father Christmas has done his rounds on Christmas Eve!)

Happy Christmas to all our customers, thanks for supporting GreenBuying.co.uk in 2012 and we look forward to helping you go green in 2013!

by Matt Roper | 11 December 2012

Ten Tips for a Green Office

Posted 5 January 2012 | | 0 Comments

GreenBuying.co.uk, which sells thousands of eco friendly office supplies online, offers the following ten tips for a greener office.

“These are simple yet effective steps that every office should take to reduce its environmental impact. These tips carry additional benefits and will appeal to a financial or business director.”

Use less paper

Following the growth in the internet and email, the use of paper within offices has grown significantly. The ‘paper-less office’ that was predicted has not materialised as people print off every email, map and countless documents. Most documents have a life expectancy of less than one day and are then thrown away. By reducing the amount of paper used in your office you can cut both the environmental impact and financial costs of running your business. As a standard your office should switch to double-sided or ‘duplex’ printing. Those with good-reasonable eye-sight may also want to print two pages to a side as well. Other methods of reducing paper use include altering document design templates and putting a message in your email signature saying ‘do you really need to print this email?’

Switch to recycled paper

Using recycled paper uses up to 70% less energy than virgin paper and demands the use of fewer natural resources. The use of paper with recycled content typically uses less energy therefore helping to cut your offices carbon impact. A few years ago recycled paper was often sneered at as it was generally regarded as being of poorer quality than paper from virgin sources. Not any more. Independent surveys have proven that recycled paper is comparable to virgin sources in quality and performance. By switching to recycled paper in your office your organisation can make a significant improvement to safeguarding the environment.

Provide recycling facilities

According to a survey conducted by WRAP, 93% of companies who set up recycling facilities at work believe it's easy to implement and maintain. Evidence suggests it is simple to provide recycling points for common office waste sources such as paper, plastic bottles, drink cans and ink cartridges. Organisations can also look to recycle other types of waste such as light bulbs and tubes, IT equipment and furniture. With the UK landfill tax at £24 per tonne and set to rise for the foreseeable future, it not only makes sense for environmental reasons but it can also make good financial sense.

Reduce the number of waste bins in your office

Once you have provided recycling facilities, reducing the number of general waste bins is a great way to ensure people don’t throw away recyclable items. Taking away individual waste bins and locating them further away than recycling facilities is a great way of encouraging recycling. At first staff may complain that they have to walk further. However from my experience these objections will soon pass, as after a few weeks habits change.

Fit water saving devices

The Building Research Establishment has set a best-practise benchmark target for employee water consumption of 4m³ per year. To calculate your employee water consumption simply calculate your annual water use per employee:

Annual Water consumption / Number of Employees = Water Consumption per annum

If your water consumption is over 10m³ per employee you should consider having a water audit of your office. Alternatively switching to water saving devices in your office can help reduce consumption. With the increase use of water meters by water companies it also makes financial sense to fit water-saving devices.

Promote Sustainable Transport at work

UK Government figures show that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are a result of road transport. To help reduce your offices contribution to climate change it is important to look at how your employees come to work and take measures to help promote more sustainable transport patterns. By setting up a Green Transport plan to support and promote public transport, walking, cycling and car sharing your office can cut its contribution to climate change. Such measures can also encourage employees to become more active which carries a number of benefits to both them and your organisation.

Turn off the lights …and all non essential electrical equipment

Saving energy is one of the most effective ways to helping to reduce your businesses contribution to climate change. According to the Carbon Trust businesses are currently responsible for about half of all the UK’s carbon emissions. By turning off equipment that isn’t being used, such as air conditioning in the winter, your office could reduce its energy use. This can also translate into financial benefits - business profits can be increased by 5% by adopting energy saving initiatives.

Consider replacing inefficient office equipment

By purchasing new office equipment it is possible to make quick savings, both financially and for the environment with smart product selection. For example, photocopiers on the market can save energy with "low-power" and/or "off" modes after a period of inactivity. They can also print double-sided saving paper. Such smart purchases can result in significant savings in a short space of time.

Switch to renewable energy

The majority of the UK's electricity comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal and gas. This is a major contributor to climate change. Switching to renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar power to run your office helps cut your carbon emissions but also helps support the uptake of green energy which is vital in the move towards a low-carbon economy.

Run a communication programme

It is important that all members of staff are aware of the reasons for promoting environmental initiatives in the office. By running a positive campaign that is both engaging and fun it is possible to create a culture in your office that will provided added value.

by GreenBuying.co.uk | 5 January 2012

Austerity, Opportunity & Responsibility

Posted 8 August 2011 | | 0 Comments

The latest paper added to our articles section applies lessons from sustainability to spending cuts, in search of doing better. It identifies four areas in which cost savings can help improve the long term viability of an organisation. It is aimed at those who need to achieve cost savings, yet believe there is a more intelligent approach than simply swinging the axe.

by Mark Hedges & Del Redvers | 8 August 2011

How can my business reduce its landfill tax liability?

Posted 20 July 2011 | | 0 Comments

Any business that has to dispose of waste is being clobbered by landfill tax which seems to increase every year. So how can we reduce this cost?

Landfill Tax is charged according to the weight of material deposited.

There are two rates of Landfill Tax: the lower rate only applies to inactive or inert wastes listed in the Landfill Tax (Qualifying Material) Order 2011; the higher rate applies to all other waste that is taxable for Landfill Tax purposes and is chargeable at the standard rate.

The lower rate is £2.50 per tonne from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2012.

The standard rate is £56 per tonne from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 and will increase to:

£64 per tonne on 1 April 2012

£72 per tonne on 1 April 2013

£80 per tonne on 1 April 2014

So how do business reduce this cost?

Well here's one idea: ScrapShop.co.uk has come up with an innovative free-to-use waste exchange...simply register as a member on the site, then you can advertise that you've got some waste materials and any of the other registered members can then get in touch with you directly to arrange shipment and any payment if applicable.

It's a new service, and its aim is to reduce the amount of materials being thrown into landfill sites. But it can also reduce your tax bill and even raise revenues!

by M Roper | 20 July 2011

Tips for a Greener Workplace (Part 7)

Posted 23 March 2011 | | 0 Comments

In keeping with our previous posts, here are some more tips to be greener in the work place:

1. Use the Mailing Preference Service

This service is used by people who do not wish to receive marketing mail. This will reduce unwanted mail and the energy used in printing, delivery and disposal of it.

2. Business Cards

Business cards obviously use paper and ink, so try to limit their use. If possible, try to use recycled paper business cards.

3. Biomass Boilers

This can be an environmental alternative than conventional boilers. Biomass is an organic plant matter, such as wood or straw. Unlike using fossil fuel such as oil or coal, biomass is labelled as carbon neutral as the CO2 that is burnt is equal to the CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere during the plant’s life. Although they are more expensive to install than traditional boilers, according to the Energy Saving Trust, having a biomass boiler could save you £950 per year. With the soaring price of oil, this potential price saving could increase.

4. Solar Panels

Although this can be a big investment, companies are increasingly installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on office roofs to generate electricity and so take less power from the national grid.

However there is some controversy at present in the UK relating to solar panels; the government is planning to reduce the feed in tariff for large solar production. The feed in tariff was designed so that electricity generated by solar could be bought by the National Grid at a subsidised price. The government is considering cutting this tariff for any solar installation that produces 50kw or more electricity. Analysts argue that this may put businesses off installing solar panels, but regardless of this threat, solar panels are likely to remain a popular green option for energy usage.

5. Turn the heating down!

Finally, a more simple tip- now that spring appears to be on its way, turn the heating or air conditioning down in your office. It is said that for every additional degree in temperature, you can pay an extra 8% in heating costs. This can be a quick and easy way of saving your business money whilst also being more energy efficient at the same time.

Stayed tuned for further environmental tips from your online source of green business supplies, GreenBuying.co.uk.

by Dan Atiyah | 23 March 2011

Tips for a Greener Workplace Part 6

Posted 4 March 2011 | | 0 Comments

In keeping with our recent blogs, here are some further green tips for the workplace.

1. Avoid Air Fresheners

Many of these products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other environmentally unfriendly chemicals. Plug-in air fresheners are even worse as they use electricity as well. Either use natural air fresheners or just open that window!

2. Vending Machines

If you have a vending machine at work, think about putting in a timing device for it. This can turn off the machine at night, saving energy and money. On average if a vending machine was switched off at nights and weekends, it will save a tonne of CO2 a year.

3. Heat Reflector on Radiators

If it has not already been done, put a reflective panel behind the radiator. Up to 70 % of the heat from the back of the radiator can be used to heat the wall behind it. By using a reflective panel, this will bounce this wasted heat back into the room.

4. Go for a flat screen

If your office still has some old PC’s with the old CRT monitors, think about replacing them. The newer flat-panel monitors use up to less 50% electricity to run, saving your business money and energy. Please remember to recycle all your old monitors though.

5. Insulate your pipes

This can be a quick and easy option to reduce energy use in the workplace. Buy some pipe insulation foam strips and place them on the pipes.

Stay tuned for further green tips on the GreenBuying.co.uk blog.

by Dan Atiyah | 4 March 2011