George Brown College
EN-5: Outreach Campaign

College-wide PAPER REDUCTION CAMPAIGN For three months, all parts of the College are being challenged to reduce their paper consumption compared to last year's baseline use. By using photocopy user codes, we will be updating each department/centre on their monthly paper use. The area that reduces their paper consumption by the largest percentage will have bragging rights to winning the first College wide Paper Reduction Campaign, and the pride of having helped to reduce the College's eco-footprint and reduce costs. As you may know, the Green Team has been working over the last few years to reduce the environmental impacts of photocopy paper consumption at the College. The Green Team has been working on strategies to save on paper by reducing the number of individual desk-top printers, setting printers to default double-sided printing and networking photocopiers which also have a scanning function. We have also worked to raise awareness about ways to reduce paper use through the monthly Go Green Campaign and the College’s Paper Use and Purchasing Policy. Why do we care? Because by using less paper and increasing recycled content, we have reduced wood, water and energy consumption, and cut pollution and solid waste. Making more efficient use of paper is good for the environment but it is also good for the bottom line. Plus it means using less toner and printer ink.

Each College Centre/School participated and over a 3 month period succeeded in reducing photocopy paper consumption by 708,807 sheets. The top three departments which reduced photocopy use by the most were: Research and Innovation which reduced by a total of 180%; Centre for Preparatory Studies and Liberal Art by 83%; and Continuous Education by 63%.