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Taking Care of Business and the Environment Office Depot Nearly Doubles Environmentally-Friendly Products in 2005 Green Book(TM) Catalog

Taking Care of Business and the Environment Office Depot Nearly Doubles Environmentally-Friendly Products in 2005 Green Book(TM) Catalog

Published 01-13-05

Submitted by Office Depot, Inc.

DELRAY BEACH, FL - U.S. consumers and offices go through more than 4 million tons of copy paper per year and more 90 million tons of paper overall or approximately 700 pounds per person. Even with these staggering statistics, only 40% of U.S. businesses have policies in place regarding the purchase of environmentally preferable products.

TheGreenBook

Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE:ODP) is making sure that its B2B customers are able to take care of business and the environment this year with the release of its 2005 Green Book catalog - the industry's only catalog of environmentally-preferable office products that is also printed on elemental chlorine free, 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled paper.

Sent to nearly 40,000 organizations, the Green Book contains nearly 2,500 environmentally preferable products - an 84% increase over last year's catalog - including paper, pens, energy efficient computer displays, printers and light bulbs, toner cartridges, biodegradable packing materials and cleaning supplies. These products are equal in performance to standard items, but save raw materials, conserve energy, or reduce or prevent the emissions of toxic chemicals.

"Our customers view us as more than a provider of office supplies and services - we are their business partner," said Tyler Elm, Office Depot's Director of Environmental Affairs. "And as their partner, we help them to achieve their business goals, including those related to the environment."

The Green Book provides detailed information on the environmental benefits of products, offers Top-10 Tips for greening the work environment, and cross references these tips to specific case studies, products and short articles throughout the catalog. This provides customers with tangible examples, identifies products that are likely to generate the greatest environmental benefits for the customer, while providing examples on how easy it is to do.

Case Study: Johns Hopkins University

The Green Book is distributed to Fortune 500 companies, as well as governmental and non-profit organizations and educational institutions. These customers are using the catalog to make a difference. During the first few months of 2004, Office Depot was able to help its customers transition nearly $1 million of their office supply spend to environmentally preferable products. One success story involved Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the largest private employer in the State of Maryland.

In the spring of 2004, JHU's Students for Environmental Action (SEA) carried out a campaign to increase the amount of recycled paper bought by departments at the university. The school was interested to see how the Green Book could help it achieve its environmental goals, as well as possibly help its bottom line. By the fall of 2004, working closely with the SEA and Office Depot, the university was able to convert 25 departments to begin using 35% post-consumer content recycled paper, as well as to consider even more environmental options in the year to come.

"Johns Hopkins spends more than $300,000 per year on environmentally-friendly office products," said David Marvin, President of the JHU Students for Environmental Action. "We met with Office Depot and JHU representatives last year to work towards increasing the percentage of green office products purchased each year. We were pleasantly surprised that Office Depot offers a catalog dedicated to eco-friendly products. The Green Book is exactly what we are looking for; a convenient, environmentally-friendly way to help make the University's green purchasing decisions easier."

Green Book 2005: 100% Post-Consumer Waste Paper

Beyond containing almost 2,500 environmentally preferable products, Office Depot's Green Book catalog itself is an example of the environmental benefits companies can achieve by using post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled content paper.

"Using recycled rather than virgin paper conserves wood, water and energy, and helps reduce pollution and waste," said Victoria Mills, Project Manager at Environmental Defense.

Environmental Defense estimates that by Office Depot printing its 2005 Green Book on 100% post-consumer recycled paper instead of virgin paper, the company will:

  • Conserve nearly 1,000 typical trees (more than 140 tons of wood) - equivalent to the amount of wood required to make 81,000 pounds of copy paper.
  • Prevent more than 400,000 gallons of wastewater - equivalent to the amount discharged annually by four households
  • Prevent nearly 45,000 pounds of solid waste - equivalent to the trash generated by more than 11 households in one year
  • Save nearly 700 million BTUs of total energy - equivalent to the amount of residential energy used annually by seven households
  • Prevent nearly 85,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalents) - equivalent to the amount released annually by eight cars

    "For the Green Book in particular, the medium is as important as the message," Elm noted. "As the industry's environmental leader, it is important for Office Depot to communicate our scope of environmentally preferable products to our customers in a manner that positively affects the land we live on, the water we drink and the air we breathe."

    Editor's Note: The catalog is available to Office Depot's Business Services Division contract customers (bsd.officedepot.com or 888-2-OFFICE). Companies that are not yet a contract customer of Office Depot may order the catalog by visiting www.officedepot.com/environment. The news media contact for Johns Hopkins University's Students for Environmental Action is David Marvin, President, 860-601-0852, marvs@jhu.edu. The news media contact for Environmental Defense is Victoria Mills, Project Manager, Corporate Partnerships, (617) 723-2996.

    About Office Depot
    Office Depot's environmental initiatives center on three guiding principles: Recycling and Pollution Reduction; Sustainable Forest Management; and Issue Awareness and Market Development for environmentally preferable products. Office Depot was honored with the United States Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Stewardship Award for Large Companies in 2004, which recognizes businesses and chambers that have demonstrated ethical leadership and corporate stewardship. Office Depot is already the largest reseller of recycled paper and recycled content products. In addition to the company's industry-leading 35% post consumer waste content paper, Office Depot offers thousands of different products containing recycled content and added new products including 100% post consumer waste content papers during 2003.

    With annual sales of more than $12 billion, no one sells more office supplies to more customers in more countries than Office Depot. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., the company conducts business in 23 countries and employs nearly 50,000 people worldwide.

    Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel - from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. The company is the world's number three online retailer - on track to generate $3B in sales for FY'04. In North America, Office Depot has 923 retail stores in addition to a national business-to-business delivery network supported by 22 delivery centers, more than 60 local sales offices and 13 regional call centers.

    The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index. Additional press information can be found at: mediarelations.officedepot.com.

    About Environmental Defense
    Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 400,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems.

    About Johns Hopkins University Students for Environmental Action
    JHU Students for Environmental Action is committed to working toward positive environmental change at the campus, community, and national levels. Our yearly campaigns focus on reducing the University's ecological footprint through increased energy efficiency and alternative energy, waste reduction, and environmentally preferable purchasing. In addition, each semester we hold numerous events that promote awareness and action on current issues facing our environment. SEA@jhu.edu. www.jhu.edu/~sea

  • Office Depot, Inc. logo

    Office Depot, Inc.

    Office Depot, Inc.

    Office Depot provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company. Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., Office Depot has annual sales of nearly $15 billion, and employs approximately 50,000 associates around the world. Currently, the Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 42 countries. Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. Office Depot serves a wide range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites.

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