What We Like:

* Dedicated Web Page -  Like Staples, Office Depot has a webpage, “Your Greener Office,” that is solely dedicated to green office products. The information listed for most products includes details like the amount of post-consumer recycled content a product contains, its total recycled content, if the product meets U.S. Government environmental standards, and other criteria.

* Recycling - Office Depot’s Tech Recycling Service provides a small ($5), medium ($10), or large box ($15) you can take home, fill with electronics you want to discard, and bring back to Office Depot for recycling. The company’s Tech Trade-in program gives customers store credits based on the value of the item they want to trade-in and includes MP3 players, LCD screens, and digital cameras.

* Green Catalog - Office Depot has also created its Fifth Green Book Catalog which provides contract organizations and institutions with purchasing options for over 3,000 green products, as well as tips and ideas for creating a green office.

What Could be Improved:

Green Products Link is Hard to Find:  The “Greener Office” link is buried on the bottom of the home page in fine print. Why doesn’t Office Depot put it in a bright green box in a more prominent position on the page?

Some “Green” Products Aren’t Very Green: The online list of environmentally-friendly products includes furniture, pens and other items that have no apparent environmental value.  Why include these in the “greener office” line if they’re not green?

Here’s how Office Depot compares to other office suppliers.

Next up: Office Max

Research by Sophia Bambalis

Staples  Staples is one of the nation’s dominant office supply retailers, with thousands of stores nationwide and a comprehensive on-line presence. In addition to offering a wide array of green products, the company is working to reduce its carbon footprint and protect forests.  Staples claims it has helped its customers save more than 2 million trees by buying recycled paper.

What We Like:

* Products  - The company’s “EcoEasy” webpage   links to many green products, including 100% recycled paper that meets Forest Stewardship Council standards for sound forest management; chairmats made from recycled fiberboard; and tape dispensers made from recycled plastic.

*In-store Recycling -  Staples recycles Dell brand computers, monitors and printers for free. For a $10 fee, you can recycle computer equipment made by other companies. Recycling for any cell phone or hand-held electronics is free. Staples also offers  a $3 reward for each ink cartridge you recycle at their store (limit of 10 per month).

Corporate Social Responsibility – Staples is partnering with Earth 911 and Collective Good to increase mobile phone recycling. It is also working with World Resources Institute and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to switch to alternative energy sources like solar power.  The company says by reducing maximum speeds, the company’s truck fleet has saved 500,000 gallons of fuel.

What We’d like to see changed:

* Greenwashing - The company never explains what “Eco Easy” stands for or what criteria it uses to qualify a product as “Eco Easy.” The brand includes a variety of conventional products, like file cabinets and floor lamps, that have no apparent environmental benefit. Implying these products are ‘green’ undermines the credibility of the EcoEasy brand, confuses consumers, and breeds skepticism about environmental value.

* Limited Computer Recycling – In addition to accepting Dell computers, we’d like to see Staples (and other green retailers) accept ANY computer for recycling.

 * Eco Products Are Hard to Find – Staples’ webpage is very busy with a lot of links and small fonts, making the little link to Eco Easy on the right hand side hard to find. We recommend the company put “Eco Easy” in a big bright green box, along with the caption, “Click here to save money on green office supplies.” 

Want to compare Staples to other office products retailers? Check this chart prepared by the Dogwood Alliance and ForestEthics, two non-profit organizations that monitor responsible forest management and paper manufacturing.

Next: Office Depot