OFFICE SUPPLY TOTE PROGRAM A Notre Dame and Office Depot Partnership

Waste at Notre Dame Waste: – Two aspects to waste reduction on campus: recycling and reducing material use. – The Office of Sustainability works with academic and administrative departments to find ways to reduce the unnecessary use of materials. – Cardboard and plastic packaging represent nearly 200 tons of the University’s solid waste-stream each year.

Procurement at Notre Dame Procurement: – Integrate life-cycle cost analysis into our procurement practices that balances the environmental impact and overall cost effectiveness of our procurement spending. – Working toward a Sustainable Procurement Policy incorporating a lifecycle view of total cost including acquisition cost, usage and disposal.

A Partnership Procurement Office of Sustainability Office Depot

Tote Program Details Began in June 2010.

Tote Program Details Totes replaced cardboard boxes for over half of all office supply deliveries to campus – an average of 300 deliveries per month. Recycled content paper shopping bags stapled shut with packing slips separate orders inside the totes.

Challenges Traditional distribution center. – Pickers and packers used to fill orders in assembly line style. Third-party transportation service. – Worked through box stacking issue. Tote logistics. – Delivery personnel were trained to collect totes after delivery.

Outcomes The program will save 9.6 tons of cardboard and plastic from the waste stream and reduce campus-related carbon dioxide emissions by 53 metric tons annually. Tote program is a well received, visible program highlighting sustainability.