The Sustainability Office encourages facilities to focus on both the inflow and outflow of resources, by implementing environmentally-friendly procurement policies and reducing landfill-bound waste. Conducting audits of current purchasing activities and waste stream contents is critical for identifying opportunities to reduce facility’s materials-related environmental footprints and achieve operational savings.

Consider items in categories that align with major activities, such as:

• Kitchen and food services: disposable cups, plates and utensils, food waste and compost, plastic wrap, bottles, and cans
• Paper products: newspaper, printer paper, folders, and cardboard
• Office supplies: printer cartridges, packaging, binders, pens, and markers
• Electronics: computers, batteries, keyboards, light bulbs, printers, and cameras
• Facilities maintenance and cleaning: paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags
• Renovations: carpeting, lights, furniture, drywall, and paint

During waste audits, materials are separated into groups by material type rather than by use; these might include paper, glass, plastic, cardboard, metals, food waste, electronics, hazardous waste, and demolition waste (see Resources: How to Perform a Waste Audit).

Facilities should determine whether conservation strategies for procurement, resource use, and disposal are already in place, and which would be appropriate to implement, as discussed later in this chapter.