As a public utility, the phone company is subject to more government regulation than private companies, and, consequently, Bell has developed new manufacturing processes. Although manufacturers have taken great pains to make their product look like wood, plastic lumber is still not wood. In many respects, the partnerships that do exist now, such as the Buy Recycled Business Alliance, are a public-private experiment in social change. Establishing an office recycling initiative won’t just reduce your carbon footprint, but it could also save your business money. And in a corporate setting, the buyer of wood products and materials is usually not the person responsible for maintenance and repair. Where necessary, buyers and purchasing managers should force competition on service contracts and demand that manufacturers put into writing any restrictions on the use of their products.