Green Guide

The Caisse’s Green Guide outlines practical ways for our employees to put into practice the 4 R’s of waste management: recycle , reduce , reuse and rethink.

Recycle

Paper

• Always use recycled paper.
• Place non-confidential documents and all other outdated recyclable materials in the bins or other waste collection locations.
• Place outdated confidential documents in the shredding bins for recycling.

Reduce

Printing, paper reduction

• Work on-screen to limit paper use.
• Print double-sided.
• Use colour sparingly.
• Print several slides or document pages per sheet of paper.
• Review document design to optimize the printing format (font size and margins).
• Before printing Web pages, copy and paste only the text needed.
• Print on the back side of non-confidential documents.

Computers

• Use Microsoft Word’s track changes function to make changes rather than printing out the document to make corrections.
• Use an electronic agenda rather than a paper one.
• Share USB flash drives with colleagues.

Newspapers and other publications

• Subscribe to publications electronically rather than requesting paper copies.

E-mails

• Use electronic greeting cards rather than paper ones.
• Send documents by e-mail rather than by regular mail or fax.
• Add new business contacts to Microsoft Outlook rather than saving their business cards.

Archiving

• Use the ranking functions and automatic archiving program for e-mails.
• Dispose of records at least once a year.
• Use electronic data management (EDM) instead of filing papers.
• Delete e-mails, attachments, and files that are no longer needed.

Energy

• Before leaving the office, turn off screens, desk lamps, and all other electronic devices except the computer towe.

Reuse

Office supplies

• Reuse regular and accordion files, suspension files, binders, paper clips, and paper clamps.
• When placing orders, choose recyclable materials.
• Use reusable glasses and goblets rather than paper cones or Styrofoam containers.
• Reuse file boxes.
• When possible, sort recyclable materials before placing confidential documents in the shredding bin.

Rethink

• Always ask yourself whether it is really necessary to print documents, particularly e-mails.
• Where possible, manage documents electronically and keep only the final versions.
• Where possible, us the Rightfax fax software application.
• Don’t hesitate to sign up for courses to learn how to make optimal use of software applications.
• Review existing electronic documents and forms – if they are no longer needed, archive them.