As most buisnesses now realize, it makes good business sense to reduce waste and use recosources more efficiently. Both large and small officdes can save money, improve morale by creating a healthier and more productive work environment, and appeal to green consumersm, all by “going green” themselves. Here are some ideas to minimize your impact on the Earth and maximize your impact in your business:

ENERGY

Lighting: Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 66 percent less energy than standard bulbs (this is one place where you save money: each CFL you buy will save you about $45 over the long life of the bulb, since they last 13 times as long as incandescent bulbs).

Electricity: Turn off computers and other office equipment when you leave your office. Set your computer or printer to “sleep” mode when not in use. By plugging hardware into a power strip with an on/off switch, your whole desktop setup can be turned off at once.

Travel: Minimize your business travel by taking advantage of telecommuniting tools, such as instant messaging, video conferencing, etc. If you work in a traditional office environment, arrange for bicycle storage and an on-site shower to make cycling or walking to work a better option. Encourage employees to take public transportation by offering stipends. And if you do drive, consider carpooling with a nearby associate.

RECYCLING

Paper and printing: Paper and other paper supplies made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled content is often teh same price as regular paper, and you can buy bulk to save money. Be responsible and recycle old printer cartidges. Most large office supply sttores recycle toner cartridges for free, and buying recycled replacements tent to be cheaper than new ones.

Reusing or donating: Use shipping boxes for your outgoing mail, donate excess supplies to lcoal community nonprofits and school, and consider donating your computers, office furniture, and other equpiment when yuou update.

Daily Waste:Consider installing recycling bins and everyone’s desk for ease of use and setting up a recycling program with your building if one does not already exist.

COMMUNITY

Breakroom: Bring lunch to work in reusable contrainers, invest in fiar trade coffee, and eliminate disposable dishes and silverware (even if it means setting up a clean-up schedule). If you order out, consider doing a large order for several colleagues to reduce mulitple delivery tips.

Sharing: Arrange an office carpool or group bike commute and post friendly reminders for everyone nto to waste energy or resources, even simple ones like remembering to turn off the lights. Simple tasks can save energy and money all at once!

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Poor organization of paperwork is never more evident than in the spring, during tax season. The over- abundance of clutter at home often leads to important documents being misplaced or lost. There are a lot of good reasons to have an organizational plan for your most important papers. If something happens to you, your family will be able to easily locate your power of attorney, insurance policies, medical records, and outstanding bills. Even on an everyday basis, good organization makes it easier to pay bills on time, find receipts, and reduce tax-time stress.  Spring tax season is the most opportune time to start managing the mess. You can divide nearly all of your financial records into four categories: papers that you need to keep for the calendar year or less; ones that can be destroyed when you no longer own the items they cover; tax records, which you should save fro seven years; and papers to keep indefinitely. Keeping on top of these piles will save you time, money, and valuable resources- all key to a healthy environment. Local agencies will shred personal documents and then recycle the paper. In the end, effectively maintaining your filing means less space or storage containers, less dust, and less overall anxiety.

100% Recycled Manila Fastener Folder with Reinforced Tab

These folders make it easier to see what’s inside with a reinforced 1/2″ high tab for easy title viewing. They feature 2″ prong K-style fasteners in positions No. 1 and 3 to provide superior strength, holding large amounts of paper securely. Folders contain 100% recycled material with 30% post-consumer material. Made form 11pt. acid-free stock with 3/4″ expansion. 1/3-cut assorted. 50 folders per box. Item number: SMD19547 Click here to order!

The spring months bring farmers markets and seasonal vegetables, with asparagus being amongst the first vegetables to harvest. This simple salad is healthy and has the added benefit of being seasonal as well.

Prep Time: 20 Min

Ready In: 2 Hr 40 Min

Cook Time: 20 Min

6 Servings

12 extra-large shrimp

2 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 quarts water

8 ounces orzo pasta

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel shrimp, reserving the shells. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and shrimp in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring frequently to keep the garlic from browning. When shrimp are cooked through, remove from heat, cool and cut into 1/2″ pieces.

Collect a bouquet of colors with Sharpie Pens and share some of your creations with us! Visit us on Facebook or check out our Pinterest for more artistic ideas!

To help protect you from outside sources that could be harmful to your business we have gathered information from the Wall Street Journal for tips and guidelines on how to avoid identity theft and credit card fraud. In order to avoid it, you need to know it- and we are your source for protection.

According to the article Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud- How to Protect Yourself, there are three main tips that everyone should take BEFORE they potentially could become a victim.

For more information and preventative tips click here to read the full article

Brand new InkJoy pens are here! What’s all the fuss about? InkJoy Pens are designed for users to experience effortless writing. With seven different styles and unlimited colors the possibilities are endless and easy to customize just for you. InkJoy pens have a revolutionary ink system that gives you the best in effortless writing.

InkJoy pens start quickly without dragging, requires minimal pressure from your hand, and delivers crisp, clean lines every time. But most of all, it brings back the joy to writing, so naturally it’s called InkJoy!

Check out all the InkJoy pens today!

We know when office budgets get squeezed and shortened sometimes office supplies are the first to get cut. In order to make sure you still have all the products and supplies you need to function as professional and efficiently as possible we’ve come up with some tips to help you save on your necessity items.

1. Purchase Business Source (BSN) Items- Our Business Source Brand is optimal for helping you save money because it’s made for that purpose! Every Office essential you would need is available in the Business Source Brand- staplers, folders, tape, index tabs, labels, glue, and available at a discounted price! Click here to shop for our BSN items.

2. Buy in Bulk rather than single- Almost all of our products are available in different quantities and purchasing a pack of tape, rather than an individual roll will not only save you money, it will save you time ordering supplies so often (see #3)!

3. Larger, less frequent orders- Make a list of supplies the entire office needs so you aren’t ordering paper clips every single week for each person. Having one employee order for the office as a whole helps to ensure essential items are always in stock and eliminates the stress of ‘running out’ of a necessity at the last minute!   

4. Take advantage of our Bargain Buys- Every month we have flyer’s that are mailed to our customers as well as delivered by drivers that feature different areas in the office or new products. Our Office Stuff flyer also provides tips and tricks to help you save time, money, energy, and work more efficiently!

5. Look for promotions- Every month we have online web specials that  feature products that have been discounted for online shoppers! Anyone can take advantage of our Porter’s Perksrewards program and receive free items every month just by spending $200 or $400 online. In addition to online specials and discounts, our flyers provide rebates, buy one get one free, and free items with qualifying orders on many brands and products! Click hereto view our current flyers online.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for home — and it isn’t just for spring, either! Your home or office filing system needs an occasional deep-clean, just like your kitchen cabinets and closets. So let’s get to the spring cleaning!

Clear Out the Clutter

Your filing system is a lot like your junk drawer. Every time you find something that you think might be useful, you stick it in the drawer. Some of those things have come in handy later on and others just take up space. But every once in a while, you have to clear the decks and start fresh with your storage. This is why office spring cleaning is so important.

To start spring cleaning your office, empty every folder out of your file drawer and start by asking yourself if that category is still meaningful and relevant to your life. Completed projects, old client files, and obsolete reference topics may be able to go away. You can then sort through each “keeper” folder and clean out unnecessary and outdated paperwork. Remember that this is spring cleaning! Only current and relevant documents should reside in your active files. If you don’t use it all the time but may possibly need to refer to that information again in the future, place the item in your archive files. If not, and there is no legal reason for you to keep it, toss or shred. Phew! Step 1 of your office spring cleaning is done.

A New Coat of Paint

While you’ve got your file system emptied, take a minute to look at your supplies and see if they pass muster. Are your folders getting old and raggedy? Take a second to replace them with new, clean files. Are your labels a mess? Too many cross-outs and write-overs make it hard to find the folder you need. Get some fresh labels and neatly type or print the correct title for each file. Are your filing cabinets dysfunctional, with dented and hard-to-open drawers? If you have to fight with your cabinet every time you need a document, it’s time to consider a replacement. Your spring cleaning project provides the perfect opportunity to start fresh with fully functioning equipment.

Also examine your naming convention and make sure that your files are labeled in a way that makes sense. The goal is to start each file with the name of the larger category to which it belongs (ex: utilities), then add on the descriptor that lets you know exactly what paperwork that folder contains (ex: utilities:water or utilities:electric). The key is moving from general to more specific. Color-coding your files and/or labels is another great way to distinguish categories of files from one another.

Put It All Back In Order

Finally, it’s time to get each document back in its home. Once you have all of your file folders labeled and placed in the drawer, look around and see if there are any loose piles of paper sitting out — on a desk, shelf, or credenza. Go through each stack and clear out any junk (following the guidelines in step 1 above), then file those papers in your existing categories. By the time you are done, every piece of paper in your office should have a home and be easy to locate whenever you need it.

If you missed office spring cleaning this year, don’t worry — you can clean up your paper management act any time you need to. Don’t put it off until next spring!

HERE IT IS! All the details you need to know about picking the right pen:

BALLPOINT INK- This thick, non-water based ink does not thin while you write. Ballpoint pens use a small rotating ball made of brass, steel or tungsten carbide to dispense the ink as you write. Ballpoint ink is usually permanent.

GEL INK- This water-based ink has a viscosity or thickness which can fluctuate. When a gel pen is not being used, the ink tens to have a high viscosity or thicker ink. When the ball starts to rotate, the ink thins down and is “dragged” in a similar manner as roller ball ink. Gel ink provides the  both worlds- the smooth write of a rollerball, with the performance of a ballpoint.

ROLLERBALL INK- This water based ink takes very little effort to make the ink flow, allowing for a smooth writing experience. Rollerball pens use the same type of ball as a ballpoint pen, but because the ink is much thinner, it floods the ball and “drags” a pool of ink across the paper as you write. The smaller the point size of your pen, the less ink there is to drag, thus producing a finer line. Rollerball ink is usually not permanent.

PERMANENT INK- Permanent markers have the ability to mark on virtually any surface from packages, to labels, to glass and much more. Fade- and water-resistant ink options further extend multiple project uses. A variety of colors and tip sizes are available to make your mark unique.

Start shopping online at www.portersop.com/shop for your perfect pen today! Also stop by our Facebook page to watch the new video on  InkJoy pens from PaperMate and let us know what you think!

There are so many options when it comes to binders that you just want to get what you need and get on with it. These three easy steps will help you find the exact binder you need for the project or task at hand- pain free!

1. PICK The Right Application

     -Presentation binders: for proposals, presentations, and reports

     – Reference Binders: for frequently used documents like manuals and files

     – Storage Binders: for documents that are accessed infrequently like annual records

2. CHOOSE The Ring Style To Fit Your Needs

     – Round Ring is most common. Standard capactiy. Ring is usually mounted to the spine

     – EZ- TURN Ring allows for smoother page turning. Ring is mounted on the back for flat pages

     – Slant Ring holds up to 25% more than round ring. Ring is mounted the back for flat pages

     – EXD Ring holds up to 50% more than round rings and pages turn easily with Gap Free Rings

     – Gapless Ring has no gaps. Pages flow smoothly and rings will not open if binder is dropped

3. SELET The Correct Size Binder