Microsoft Selects Greys Harbor for 100% Recycled Paper

In the spring of 2011, the software giant Microsoft announced a 100 percent recycled paper procurement policy for its offices in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, including its vast Redmond headquarters. The company’s previous printing stock was composed of 30 percent recycled paper.

Microsoft has selected Greys Harbor, a company which has won recognition for its low-impact approach, environmentally-friendly operations, and for using renewable energy to fuel much of its factory capacity. Other steps the company has taken include salvaging wood waste from forest floors and producing paper through a chlorine-free process. The company also published a sustainability report in 2009 that follows the Global Reporting Initiative’s guidelines.

Microsoft claims that the switch to 100% PCW will annually conserve 2.5 million BTUs of energy, reduce 750 million pounds of carbon dioxide from spewing into the atmosphere, and preserve approximately 8000 trees. Greys Harbor in turn will reduce wastewater by about 5 Olympic-sized swimming pools a year and solid waste by about eight garbage truckloads with this transaction. Microsoft is already a leader in waste diversion.

Both companies have the opportunity to move towards more of a closed loop process where paper is gathered throughout Microsoft’s offices and returned to Greys Harbor for recycling.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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