MetaEfficient Reviews » Office Supply

Most Efficient 3-Ring Binders

Siel — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:23:50 +0000

Bloggers are drafting up their top 10 list posts and techies are e-organizing their hard drives for the new year. But if you’re old school — or have a boss who forces you to stick to ink-and-paper ways, here are some efficient 3-ring binders to help you catalog and file away 2008.

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Optimal Gift Wrapping

Justin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:10:31 +0000

Optimal gift wrapping comes from renewable sources and does not contain toxic substances. Virgin forest fiber, bleach and heavy-metal inks need not be a part of gift giving. What are some of the better choices? One of the more optimal ways to wrap gifts is Furoshiki, a traditional Japanese technique of wrapping gifts using cloth. The appeal of this form of wrapping is that the cloth is reused for other purposes, see our previous post for more information on this optimal technique.

Another optimal way to wrap gift is by using tree-free or recycled paper. One company, Paporganics, makes a range of Hemp Wrap designs, which are printed with vegetable-based inks on sheets of hemp blend paper. The long fibers of hemp and flax add strength to the shorter recycled fibers. They even sell natural wrapping ribbon which is constructed with a water-based adhesive and colored with soy-based ink. The gift wrap is priced at $4.99 for 2 sheets per package (24″ x 36″).

Another type of optimal green wrapping paper is biodegradable Seed Gift Wrap. These handmade paper rolls are embedded with annual and perennial wildflower seeds. So you can plant the wrapping paper when you are done with it. Seeds include catchfly, english snapdragon, cornpoppy, black eyed susan. It’s made in Colorado. The price is $20 for 3 sheets (24″ L x 40″ W).

Another company that makes recycled gift wrap is Fish Lip Paper Designs. Their holiday gift wrap papers are designed and printed in the USA on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with soy-based inks. The price is $4 for individual 22″ x 33.75″ sheets (with a minimum order of $20). Also available from Green Field Paper (no minimum purchase).

What about gift bags? World of Good carries handmade gift bags that are constructed by family-trained artisans in Sanganer, Rajasthan, these gift bags are made of wood-free paper and recycled cotton waste. The only non-optimal aspect of these bags is fact that they are imported from India (the energy involved in transportation). They cost about $5 each.

What about the tape you use to stick you optimal gift wrap together? One optimal alternative is to use cellulose tape, which is a transparent adhesive tape that happens to be biodegradable too. It is difficult to find, especially in the US. Almost all transparent tape sold here is made of acetate. One store, Green Earth Office does offer it. Brands such as Sellotape are available in the UK. Sellotape is made from wood pulp that comes from suppliers with extensive reforestation programs.

We hope this survey will help make your gift wrapping more optimal. Happy holidays.

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renourish: A Guide to Green Graphic Design

Justin — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 06:13:30 +0000

Renourish is guide for graphic designer to help them practice their craft using greener techniques. The web site, created by Eric Benson, offers many green tips and pointers to green resources (which can be otherwise quite difficult to track down). Great reference.

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Portable Pen For All Environments: The Inka Pen

Justin — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:25:35 +0000

Inka: A Waterproof Keychain-Sized Pen

The Inka Pen attaches to a keyring and has a lightweight, stainless steel design. Using a pressurized ink cartridge, it writes at any angle, temperature, altitude and even underwater. The pen is made in the U.S. and has a lifetime warranty. Available from Amazon for $11.

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Picopad: Wallet-Sized Pen and Pad

Justin — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:43:54 +0000

A Picopad consists of 15 sticky notes and one tiny pen, that are designed to fit into the credit card slot of your wallet. The pads themselves are made from a cardboard-like material and come in a variety of colors. They feature two small push-out tabs to make it easier for you to pull it out of your wallet. There’s one on the long side, and one on the short side, making it possible to use with top and side loading wallets. See more details in this review by OhGizmo! or on the Picopad home page. They are priced at $3.99 each.

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Recycled Paper Journals

Justin — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 07:11:15 +0000

These classy journals are made from 100% post-consumer fibre. They have a perpetual calendar printed on the inside fold-out front cover. The journals measure 6” X 9″ and are filled with 200 pages of 24 lb. cream coloured paper which is processed without chlorine bleach. Availalbe for $14.55 from Grass Roots.

Found via Great Green Goods.

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Cellulose Tape: Biodegradable

Justin — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 09:00:18 +0000

Cellulose Tape is metaefficient because it is completely biodegradable. It is difficult to find, especially in the US. Almost all transparent tape sold here is made of acetate. One store, Green Earth Office does offer it.

Brands such as Sellotape are available in the UK. Sellotape is made from wood pulp that comes from suppliers with extensive reforestation programs.

Sellotape describes their eco-friendly tape making process:

The pulp is made using a process, which is elemental chlorine free and does not harm the environment. At the Sellotape factory, the hot melt coating technology we employ minimises the use of solvents. Any solvents that are used are processed through our Thermal Oxidiser and recycled with the resultant heat being used in our drying ovens.

More information: Sellotape

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TAK Pushpins

Justin — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 17:53:47 +0000

It’s a design update on a common household object. The TAK Pushpin has two pins, an oversized head and a channel in the middle.

The double pins add strength and stability while preventing paper from swiveling, and the horseshoe shaped channel allows users to organize wire and hang up holiday lights. Packs of six are available for about $5.

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Recycled Magazine Boxes

Justin — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:38:12 +0000

You may have seen Roost’s recycled vases, which got a lot of coverage recently. But Roost also makes these boxes, available as a set of three nesting cylinders. They are made from recycled magazines and newspapers from all over the world. They also makes some intriguing drink coasters.

Available from Elsewares for $44 per set.

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Cellophane: Retro-Metaefficient

Justin — Tue, 02 Nov 2004 18:32:20 +0000

Cellophane is a natural polymer made from cellulose, a component of trees and plants. We like it because it is completely biodegradable and can be made from renewable sources. It is impermeable to air, grease and bacteria.

It was used widely for packaging food until the 1960s when it was replaced by a plastic substitute which was also marketed as “cellophane”. Now it is making a comeback.

Sainsbury’s, a grocery chain in the UK, is going to use a special cellophane wrap – NatureFlex™ – for its organic produce range.

Cellophane was invented by Jacques E. Brandenberger in 1908, a Swiss textile engineer. Brandenberger was seated at a restaurant when a customer spilt wine onto the tablecloth.

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