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This month we will be looking at the tenth and final One Planet Living principle, which in my opinion is one of the most important principles for sustainable businesses – materials and products.  The principle encourages the use of materials from sustainable sources and promoting products which help consumers reduce their consumption

trashThe One Planet Living goals for sustainable materials and products are as follows:

  • To support a sharing economy and reduce consumption of products and materials.
  • To buy and sell materials and products that have positive social and environmental benefits.
  • To eliminate chemicals that are toxic to humans or wildlife at all stages in product lifecycles, from raw materials through to manufacturing, impact during use and end-life disposal/reuse/recycling.
  • To support the concept of circular economy and establish end-life solutions that enable up-cycling, reuse, recycling or energy recovery of products and materials.
  • To ensure packaging is minimized, fit for purpose, made from renewable or waste resources and is easily reused or recycled.

Remember, your products relay a message to your customers about your corporate social and environmental responsibility. 

Can you confidently say that your business’ products help to reduce your customers’ carbon footprint?  Can your product be easily recycled after use?  Do your products have social benefits, do they contribute to uplifting and empowering your local communities? 

If you have answered “yes” to any of those questions, my hat’s off to you – you are well on the way towards being a more sustainable business. 

The attributes of a sustainable product are illustrated below, as defined by Han Brezit and many others:

sustainable product attributes

Here’s an interesting TEDx Talks presented by Chad Ulven, who talks us through “Searching for a Better Future Through Sustainable Materials”.

At Green Office, we are proud that our re-manufactured cartridges and Green ABLE cartridge recycling programme ticks almost all of the sustainable product and material boxes.  Check out our story here:


Looking for ways to make your business more efficient and sustainable?
Let our Sustainability Officer give you a call about our Sustainability Consulting.

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