UPDATE: APRIl 23, 2022
We decided to post updates to this original blog post each month to keep you in the loop as we continue our journey to become the most environmentally conscious office supply company in Canada! This first month we have removed close to 900 products from our site that were not enviromentally sustainable and had available alternatives. These included polypropelyne plastic cutlery, file folders and accessories, printer ink and toner, trash bags, white out and dry erase markers just to name a few. This is the first step - if you can't find your previously purchased products please let us know so we can recommend the eco-friendly alternative. We will continue to update as each round of product reviews continue. Thank you for your continued support!t!

March 28, 2022

This month marks the tenth anniversary of the launching of our first retail store in Sylvan Lake. Our company today bears little resemblance to the early days when we were only a cell phone store. The fact that we’re still around is something I’m very proud of.

This month marks the tenth anniversary of the launching of our first retail store in Sylvan Lake. Our company today bears little resemblance to the early days when we were only a cell phone store. The fact that we’re still around is something I’m very proud of.

I’m looking to the next ten years and wrestling with what type of organization we want to be moving forward. While I’m happy with our evolution and the success we’ve achieved in the transition from a brick and mortar storefront to an e-commerce business, I feel that as a company, we can be better.

I’ve always looked to our larger competitors and assessed our business practices accordingly - particularly as it pertains to environmental initiatives. While I applaud the efforts that organizations such as Staples and Grand & Toy have made in terms of providing environmentally sustainable products for purchase, I see those items often presented as a secondary option.

I realize that these larger, publicly funded corporations cannot (or will not) change their business practices but we have that ability.

Over the next several months we will be taking steps to remove items from our inventory that we believe not to be environmentally friendly AND that have a more friendly cost-effective alternative. 

This will include general office supplies, certain brands of copy paper and print supplies.  You will see more branding, marketing and incentives from us as we begin to promote and educate on our green product options.

While we acknowledge that this may cost us sales (and profits) in the short term it is our hope that our customers will continue to support us through this initiative and alter their buying habits to utilize these environmentally friendly office products as alternatives. 

The criteria we plan on using is as follows:

- Be made from a minimum of 30% recycled or re-manufactured materials

- Be Ecologo, PFEC, FSC or Greenguard certified

By the end of 2022, when you log on to shop either Western Office or Chamber Office Supplies you will know that the products you are purchasing are environmentally friendly and sustainable. If you find a product that does not meet the criteria listed above, you can be assured that an environmentally sustainable alternative does not exist. And if one comes available, we will do everything possible to add it to our inventory.

So what do I want for our company for the next ten years? My goal is to build the most environmentally friendly office supply company in Canada, a company you can be proud to do business with; as a supplier and partner.

Mike