City of Sunnyvale

Why Buy Recycled?
Recycling begins when materials are collected for recycling. The collected materials are then manufactured into new products. When your school purchases those recycled-content products, you are closing the loop by bringing materials full circle from old product to new product! Look on product labels for the highest post-consumer content (rather than pre-consumer content) available. Post-consumer waste is waste from products that were previously used and then collected from the consumer.

By buying recycled-content products you help to preserve natural resources, reduce energy use & pollution, create markets for recyclables and minimize the impact of your school's activities on the environment.

Start with Buying Recycled Paper!
Since schools tend to use large amounts of paper products, your school can make the most difference by choosing paper products with recycled content.

Most office supply companies offer recycled-content copy paper of the same quality and at a comparable price to non-recycled copy paper. Check with your office supplier and buy the highest post-consumer recycled content (30% at minimum). Your school district or school can also join the Recycled Paper Purchasing Cooperative at no cost and take advantage of their reduced prices on recycled paper.

For a more environmentally-friendly recycled copy paper, choose one that is processed chlorine free (PCF). Conservatree has an extensive list of recycled copy papers and identifies those that are PCF.

Recycled-content Office Supplies
Most of the office products school's use (e.g. disks, toner cartridges, folders, notepads, post-its) are available with recycled content. When ordering products, look for a recycling symbol, check the product description or ask your office supply store to identify recycled-content options.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board's Recycled-Content Products Database also contains over 6,500 recycled-content products. The database is searchable by product/brand name, company, or keyword, and specific percentages of recycled content.

Cleaning Products
Find out how your school can stay clean while protecting the health of its students and the environment.

School Supplies
Find out how students can make environmentally-friendly purchases too!

Recycled-content Promotional Materials
Your school can purchase recycled-content promotional items including clothing, caps, bags, water bottles and pens/pencils from companies such as the following:

3M Promotional Markets
Post-it notes, Post-it fax notes

Adapt Consulting, Inc.
T-shirts, calendars, key rings, mouse pads, mugs, rubber stamps, bookmarks, yo-yo's,
and magnets

Amazing Recycled Products, Inc.
T-shirts, notepad dispensers, piggy banks, mugs, and tape dispenser/rulers (from reclaimed denim, U.S. Currency or newspaper!)

Aurora Glass
Recycled-glass suncatchers, candle holders, ornaments, vases and more

Christopher Pierce Enterprises Bookmarks, piggy banks, circuit board binders & clipboards and bicycle accessories

The Cloth Bag Company Shopping bags

Clothes Made from Scrap
t-shirts, jackets, vests, shorts, aprons, caps, and tote bags

Morningstar Trading Co.
Tote bags, caps, lunch totes, t-shirts, fleece vests and jackets

Discovering the World
Frisbee®s

Fire and Light
Recycled glass plaques, dishware (etching available)

Green Earth Office Supply
Hemp bags, pens, pencils, computer circuit clocks and business card holders

Impression Holding Co. Ltd.
T-shirts, mugs, rulers, circuit board
bookmarks and clipboards

Millikin Screenpainting
T-shirts, tote bags and hats printed with water-based inks and soy solvents on organic cotton and fair trade materials.

Patagonia
Fleece jackets, vests, and pullovers

The Real Earth, Inc.
Recycled circuit board items, tree-less paper gift sets, and pens

Printable Promotions
Clipboards, coasters, notepads, mousepads, pens, pencils, circuit board money clips and clocks, mugs and more (search: recycled).

Right Impressions
(408) 370-7812
email
Pencils (from reclaimed denim, U.S. Currency or cardboard!), shoelaces (from soda bottles!), t-shirts, polar fleece, caps, magnets, biodegradable plastic bags, yo-yos, frisbees, bumper stickers, corrugated buttons, binders.

Safe Designs
Recycled glass products, computer circuit board clipboards, license plate notebooks, pencils (reclaimed denim and U.S. Currency)

Signature Marketing
Tote bags, shirts, fleece jackets and vests, bike bottles, thermal mugs, pens and pencils (from reclaimed denim and U.S. Currency)

Stan Miller and Associates
Watches, picture frames, business card holders, letter openers, frisbees, and water bottles

Weisenbach Specialty Printing, Inc.
Pens, caps, t-shirts, calendars, key chains, buttons, water bottles, frisbees, and funnels

Consider Adopting an Environmental Procurement Policy
You can view the City of Sunnyvale Environmental Procurement Policy (EPP) for ideas.

Click here for information about environmentally and socially responsible school supply choices including clothes, cosmetics, paper products, backpacks, pens and pencils and more. Students can have a positive impact through their consumer choices!