Around Resource Conservation

The resources of our planet are finite. Here you will find simple tips to waste fewer resources in your everyday work.

Separate - but do it right!

In the Waste Separation Guidelines, you'll find concise information on correctly separating the waste generated in university life. The Sustainability & Energy Unit provides all university members with a separation concept poster.

Save Paper and Toner

"Do we really need to print this?" Questioning every print not only conserves the environment but also saves money. Often, there are alternatives:

Online services such as FU-Wiki or Box.FU - Sync & Share serve as alternatives to paper folders or internal mail. With these services, you can store files online, access them from anywhere, and share them with others.
Default settings for double-sided and black-and-white printing save paper and toner.
When applicable, consider printing two pages on one sheet without graphics.
Old sheets make excellent scratch paper or can be reused for internal prints.
Freie Universität offers the option to digitally retrieve salary statements: In the Elsa Portal, under "Selfservice Employees" > "Shipping Option," check the box for "Do not send salary statement." This way, it won't be printed and sent via internal mail but will be available digitally in the ELSA portal.
Freie Universität provides a digital signature for signing documents. This eliminates the need to print, sign, and then scan documents, saving time and resources.

Office Supplies

Nationwide, 60,000 tons of plastic can be saved annually if offices exclusively use pens made from recycled materials.
Colored pencils can replace highlighters.
Reusable paper clips or paper staplers can replace the conventional stapler.
Paper tape is an ecological alternative to adhesive tape.
Crumpled recycled or newspaper can be used as a substitute for bubble wrap.
Refill cartridges are available for ballpoint pens.

Share and Re-Use

Sharing and re-using items:

Improves the sustainable use of resources, as fewer new products need to be purchased
Reduces the ecological footprint and contributes positively to the ecological handprint
Changes our attitude towards ownership
Means cost savings
Reduces environmental impact
...

Possible with us, for example, through the fainin-sharing community or our FUndgrube.

Did you know that...?

In the year 2020, exactly 213 tons of waste paper (including document destruction) were disposed of? This corresponds to 25.5 kg per employee. One kilogram of paper causes an average of about 1 kg of CO₂ during production – for fresh fiber, it is 1.2 kg of CO₂, and for recycled paper, it's 0.7 kg.
Freie Universität was able to reduce its paper consumption from 2018 to 2019 by 1.5 million sheets? During the COVID-19 pandemic, paper consumption was halved.
The toner consumption between 2018 and 2020 could be reduced from one toner per person per year to 0.3 toner per person?
Through the FUndgrube, our central marketplace for the reuse and sale of used furniture, equipment, and items, approximately 4 tons of bulky waste could be avoided in 2019