Before buying desktop material, consult the advice in the other purchases section, where it is proposed to ask us three questions:
- Do I really need it?
- What environmental and social impacts accompany this product or service?
- Is there any other alternative on the market that is more responsible and respectful of the environment?
As general criteria, when purchasing desk material we can follow the following guidelines:
- Reduce your consumption and buy only the necessary amounts.
- Reuse material internally, such as folders, filing cabinets or covers.
- If possible, share the material and take advantage of what is no longer used in other administrative units.
- In many cases, this type of product mixes materials (metal, plastic, cardboard), and this makes it difficult to manage it as waste when it reaches the end of its useful life. It is better to choose those that are made of a single material or that are easy to disassemble.
- Choose products made with recycled materials.
- Prioritize cardboard desk material over plastic.
- Select refillable products, such as writing supplies, and buy refills when they run out instead of buying the whole thing new again.
- If the material can be bought in different weights or thicknesses, choose the smallest one, as it contains less raw materials.
- Select material with an eco-label, such as the European Union’s eco-label, the Blue Angel, or the FSC and PEFC certifications for products derived from wood.