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There are many simple ways to recycle around the office and with the current oil spill now threatening the delicate marine life of the Gulf of Mexico, it is important that we all do our part to recycle and care for our earth. Whether you work for a big corporation or a small at-home office, it is your responsibility to do what your can to eliminate waste and increase recycling efforts.

There are many simple and easy ways to do so if you are only willing to put forth the time and effort. For example, ink and toner cartridge recycling is fast, simple and easy. Instead of throwing away your ink and toner cartridges, simply collect them until you have around ten or so and send them off to an ink and toner cartridge recycling program. The recycling program will then turn those used cartridges into brand new cartridges by cleaning them and refilling them with ink and toner.

That saves the cartridge from spending an estimated 500 to 700 years in the landfill. Due to a certain polymer found in the plastic of a cartridge, that is how long it would take one cartridge to decompose. Other great ways to recycle around the office is by collecting your scrap paper instead of throwing it away. After you have used a piece of paper, keep it around so that you can print on the backside of the paper if you need to print something for your personal use.

After your are done printing on both sides of the paper, be sure to put it in the recycling bin instead of throwing it away in the trash. If you find that it is time to get rid of any office supplies, like file cabinets, organizers, staplers or office furniture, then try to give it away to Good Will or donate it to another program instead of throwing it to the landfill.