Best Practices manual for environmentally preferable purchasing

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing for Green California

BEST PRACTICES MANUAL

Access chapters of the Manual from the navigation bar on the right.
I Introduction
II Existing Laws, Mandates, and Guidelines
III Acquiring Environmentally Preferable Products

Finding existing Environmentally Preferable Products

Guiding Principles

Questions to ask before purchasing a product include:

Is the product less hazardous?

Is it reusable or more durable?

Is it made from recycled materials? Do we really need to buy a virgin product when the recycled version is just as good?

What happens to the product at the end of its life? Can it be recycled? Will the manufacturer take the product back? Will it need special disposal?

Does it conserve energy or water?

What is needed to properly maintain and/or operate this product?

Have its environmental attributes been certified by a non-biased, widely-accepted source?

Available Products and Sources

The California Department of General Services develops and administers contracts for goods and services that have environmental attributes. Many of these contracted products and services are healthier and safer for people, and protect the environment. Local governments have access to these contracts as well.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency maintains a Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services - a tool to make it easier to purchase products and services with reduced environmental impacts. Environmental information on hundreds of products and services is included in this database.

... And SoCalGREEN is bring this information into focus for Southern California. We give California green companies visibility in our own region...so that together we can grow and green our own backyards.