The sustainability, IT, and communications offices at SLAC have seen significant results from a multiyear campaign to reduce paper purchases. The groups partnered to encourage more efficient printing practices and launched a sustainability pledge campaign, entering staff who pledged to reduce their paper consumption in a raffle for an iPad Mini. Targeted outreach to business managers and administrative staff focused on providing quarterly feedback on paper purchases and education on sustainable printing practices. Additionally, offices added double-sided network printers, worked to remove personal desktop printers, and established a new procurement standard to purchase duplex multi-function devices. SLAC also added a notification on the procurement paper-ordering website to encourage staff to order paper with a minimum of 30% recycled content.

Results published in October 2014 show a 50% reduction in paper consumption since the beginning of the campaign in FY 2012. Because the campaign took place over a number of years, a sustained reduction is expected.