A formal paper reduction campaign not only saves money by using resources
more efficiently, it motivates office employees to be aware of their practices and
provides an opportunity to highlight their success to management.
Step |
Activity |
Details |
Sample
Timeline |
| 1. |
Form
a committee to plan and carry out the campaign. |
Use
volunteer representatives from all levels of management and staff. The committee will be
"leaders" for the campaign and will help implement projects and encourage
employee participation.1, 4 |
Approx. five months before campaign kickoff |
| 2. |
Gain
management support for the campaign. |
Management
support is crucial and should be established early. Identify decision makers and present
an overview of your campaign ideas and potential benefits to the organization.2 |
|
| 3. |
Conduct
a waste assessment. |
Identifying
the types and amounts of materials generated in the office establishes a baseline for
measuring the success of the campaign. What you measure will depend on the changes
you’d like to accomplish, i.e., increasing double-sided printing, decreasing copy
impressions, increasing recycling rate, or more efficient use of other resources such as
purchasing costs and storage space.3 |
Four months before campaign kickoff |
| 4. |
Establish
campaign goals and develop an action plan. |
Goals
should be measurable based on priorities. The plan should identify tasks, responsible
people, and a timeline. Consider implementing the campaign in phases or pilot testing new
ideas for feedback before expanding office wide.1, 5 |
Two
months before campaign kickoff |
| 5. |
Gain
management approval of the plan. |
Highlight
campaign and projected savings and other benefits of the campaign in a clear, concise
presentation.3, 6 |
|
| 6. |
Select
and obtain educational materials for campaign, i.e., slogans, posters, etc. |
Developing
and printing materials takes time. In general, allow several weeks to a month buffer
between getting the materials and the actual kick-off event. See the promotional materials
available through the CIWMB. 9 |
One month before campaign kickoff |
| 7. |
Conduct
a campaign kick-off event. |
A
kick-off event draws attention to the campaign and shows management support. At the event
announce goals and clearly define everyone’s role in meeting the goals. 1, 5 |
Campaign Kickoff* |
| 8. |
Publicize
campaign and motivate employees to participate. |
High
employee participation ensures results. Use campaign slogans, visual reminders, and hold
contests. 1, 5, 7 |
|
| 9. |
Measure
savings realized by campaign. |
Determine
the impact of the campaign by measuring the "after scenario" and making the
comparison to the "baseline" measurement. 7, 8 |
Within one month of completion of campaign |
| 10. |
Notify
staff and management of the goals achieved and the success of the campaign. |
Formally
completes the campaign. Use this to opportunity to develop new operational policies based
on the success of the campaign. |
|
| 11. |
Follow-up
assessments and publicity. |
Periodic
reminders of the success of your waste reduction efforts (with any shortcomings) help
maintain a successful program. |
Annually or semiannually |
Campaign Timeline Approximately Eight Months* |
*Actual timelines will vary based on the campaign
activities selected. Each campaign should be based on the size and goals of the office.
