The Writers’ Union of Canada’s Environmental Policy
The Writers’ Union of Canada is committed to minimizing its potential impact on the environment. The Union will, and will encourage its members to:

• take environmental concerns and impacts into consideration as a part of all decision making and activities;

• promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner;

• train, educate and inform our employees about environmental issues that may affect their work;

• inform our members about environmental issues that may affect their work and ways to reduce their environmental footprint;

• reduce waste through reducing, reusing, and recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable or re-furbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical, and suitable;

• will dispose of materials that cannot be reduced, reused, or recycled through safe and responsible methods;

• print on ancient forest friendly paper using vegetable-based inks wherever possible;

• promote efficient use of materials and resources throughout our operations including water, electricity, raw materials and other resources, particularly those that are non-renewable;

• avoid unnecessary use of hazardous materials and products and take all reasonable steps to protect human health and the environment when such materials must be used;

• purchase environmentally responsible products that have been selected based on environmentally-friendly criteria, including low toxicity or environmental hazard, durability, use of recycled materials, reduced energy and/or water consumption, reduced packaging and ability to be recycled, refilled, or refurbished at end of life;

• reduce the use of plastic wherever possible, including water bottles, shopping bags, and packaging;

• to use wherever possible and practical suppliers who support our environmental policy and objectives;

• regularly communicate our environmental program to our members and the public to encourage them to support it;

• ensure compliance with all federal, provincial, and municipal environmental legislation;

• strive to continually improve our environmental performance by periodically reviewing our environmental policy in light of our current and planned activities.

Environmental Objective -- Reduce our Environmental Footprint

The Writers’ Union of Canada’s environmental footprint comes from energy use, employee and member travel, water use, and paper consumption.

Greenhouse gas emissions
The Union emits greenhouse gases through the use of fossil fuels in our heating system and possibly our electricity use. The Union also contributes to greenhouse gas emission through employee and member travel (National Council, AGM and other meetings), and the production and distribution of documents.

Energy use
We use energy to heat and cool buildings, run technology and lighting systems, and for other purposes. At the Union’s current location energy is supplied and paid for by the landlord.

Paper use
As an administrative organization the Union uses and produces a great deal of paper. In an effort to reduce the use of paper more information is being made available through the Union’s website. Staff are encouraged to reduce printing wherever possible. Where printing is necessary the Union is making every effort to use ancient forest friendly paper using vegetable-based ink.

Waste management
The Union is minimizing its production of waste through reducing, reusing, and recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable, or refurbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical, and suitable. When necessary the Union will dispose of materials that cannot reduced, reused, or recycled, through safe and responsible methods.

Water use
The Union’s water use is limited to restroom and water cooler useage. The Union will investigate the possibility of a water filtration system to reduce its water useage.

Accomplishments to date
• In 2008 the Union made a commitment to using ancient forest friendly paper and whenever possible using vegetable-based ink.

• The Union continues to promote the Union’s online newsletter as an environmental alternative to the printed newsletter. To date 25% of the Union’s members use the Union’s online newsletter.

• The Union implemented a Records Information Management System which has helped to reduce the duplication of electronic and paper records wherever possible. Where there is a choice staff are keeping electronic files rather than paper.

• For those members who would prefer the Union offers electronic receipts.

• The Union’s address book is now available online and is no longer available in printed format.

• All of the Union’s self-help publications are available online for members.

• Where possible the Union is purchasing environmentally friendly products (e.g dish detergent, paper towels).

• Staff have added a “think before you print” reminder to all of their e-mails.

• Staff print on double sided copies and use scrap paper whenever possible.

Environmental Check List

Paper
Photocopy or print on both sides of the paper, whenever possible.
Reduce the number of copies of any given document.
Purchase recycled, chlorine-free paper and recycle office paper when you are finished with it.

Plastic
Avoid using unnecessary plastic including water bottles, packaging, and shopping bags.

Printing
Print on ancient forest friendly paper using vegetable-based dye whenever possible.

Supplies
Use on-line catalogues and ask suppliers to stop shipping catalogues.
Use alternative cleaning supplies where possible.
Avoid solvent based products (toxic glues, white outs, hobby glue, solvent based markers).
Purchase refillable pens and pencils rather than disposable.
Purchase ancient forest friendly products including tissue paper and paper towels.

Equipment
When leasing/purchasing new equipment ask if there are energy star options.
Recycle used equipment where possible and dispose of equipment in a safe manner when required to do so.

Deliveries
Use bicycle couriers wherever possible.

Recycling
Ensure office paper and plastics are, wherever possible, recycled.

Turn out the lights.

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