Being eco-friendly these days is about more than just driving a compact car and paying attention to the thermostat. It is about doing whatever we can to save energy and reduce waste at the same time. Many companies in the greater New York area are doing their part by upgrading their break rooms with eco-friendly paper products.

Next to office supplies, paper products for the break room present one of the easiest and most effective ways companies can become more eco-friendly. The key is to look at two things:

using biodegradable paper products
using products made with recycled materials.

The concept of being eco-friendly in the break room is not as complicated as it might sound. It is just a matter of knowing what to look for when purchasing supplies. Galaxie Coffee is pleased to offer a number of eco-friendly options.

Biodegradable Paper Products

At one time, foam cups were the standard in the coffee service industry. Foam is inexpensive, lightweight, rugged, and very good at insulating hot or cold beverages. The problem with foam is that it takes nearly forever to degrade. It has been said that you could throw a foam cup into a landfill, dig it up 100 years later, and still find it intact. Paper is different.

Because paper is made from tree pulp, it decomposes rather quickly. Yet paper cups have not always been popular for hot beverages because these lacked good insulation capabilities. That has changed. Today’s paper cups provide as much insulation as foam cups in most cases.

The concept of biodegradable paper also extends to paper plates, bowls, napkins, drinking straws and cutlery. Today’s plates and bowls are stronger than ever, providing excellent receptacles for lunchtime meals. It is not necessary to use foam anymore. As for drinking straws, paper is every bit as dependable as plastic. Moreover, using a paper straw has the added benefit of bringing back some of those memories of childhood – if you are over age 40. Eco-friendly cutlery is now made better than ever and the prices are significantly lower than they were two years ago.

Recycled Materials

Paper product manufacturers are able to keep a lot of paper out of landfills by recycling it for use in break room supplies. You have seen recycled paper for copy machines and printers, but now you can purchase paper towels, napkins, cups, plates and bowls all made from recycled materials. When you choose products made with recycled materials you are helping extend the life of your local landfill while also cutting down on less environmentally friendly products.

Galaxie Coffee encourages customers to consider upgrading their break rooms with eco-friendly paper products. The cost of such products is coming down as more companies begin to use these products.  Please get in touch with us to find out what products on your list we carry. Our current inventory includes everything from cups and cutlery to towels and napkins.  Galaxie Coffee has found ways to allow companies to begin using these eco-friendly products immediately and gradually increase their costs.

We are a leading provider of coffee service, water, break room and janitorial supplies in the greater New York area. Our customers include businesses of all sizes across multiple industries. We’d be happy to serve your company as well.  Call us at 631-794-1910 to discuss your needs.