University of New Hampshire
OP-14: Office Paper Purchasing

USNH does a bid every five years specifically for 100% recycled copy paper, which we then strongly recommend our end users purchase. USNH Purchasing also directs vendors to direct p-card users to buy 90-100% recycled options. UNH promotes buying preferable paper and these types of practices are discussed when staff are issued UNH credit cards, called p-cards (purchasing cards), along with other ethical policies that are involved.

In 2001, the UNH Recyled Paper Initiative began increasing the recycled content of paper used by the UNH community to a percentage higher than the old UNH, and State of New Hampshire, standard of 30% post consumer. Members of the UNH Recycled Paper Initiative - including representatives from the UNH Student Senate, the UNH Student Environmental Action Coalition, UNH Printing Services, USNH Purchasing Office, UNH Central Receiving, and the Sustainability Institute - issued a Recycled Paper Initiative Report and Recommendations. Until 2006, UNH required all offices and department to purchasing 100% post consumer paper through UNH Central Receiving, saving energy, trees and landfill space. As many more 100% post consumer paper products become more prevalent in today's market, the UNH community now purchases recycled paper through its outside office supply contracted vendors. In 2007, paper purchases were decentralized and the USNH Purchasing Office conducted a formal Request for Bid process to establish a five-year vendor contract specifically to provide users with 100% recycled copy paper. The contract was rebid in 2012. Approximately 89% of the copy paper now purchased by UNH is recycled.

In 2011, UNH’s printing and copying habits were assessed and a PrintSmart initiative begun. During the first year of PrintSmart, the university saved more than $475,000. PrintSmart was developed as an effort to consolidate all copy, scan and fax needs into one multi-functional device (MFD) managed by one company. Conway Office Products was the partner UNH chose, and they proposed Xerox devices as the MFD. Through leveraging all of the campus copy volumes, the process greatly reduced the cost-per-copy for the entire campus. Other cost reduction strategies included having devices default to print double-sided copies, and copying in black and white rather than color. The MFDs are networked so that multiple offices can print to one device, eliminating the need for multiple desk-jet and laser printers, resulting in less expensive per-copy costs. What’s more, the new Energy-Star rated Xerox MFDs are more efficient than their predecessors. The savings are a combination of reductions in cost-per-copy, reduced energy use, and the purchase of paper and desk-jet and laser cartridges. The total savings for 2012 ($475,328) is almost double the initial estimates, and represents about a 36 percent savings over 2011.

The $262,595.63 figure covers paper that is 0% - 50% recycled. There isn't any way, yet, to parse out dollar amounts by % recycled other that at the highest level of 100%.