Green Purchasing

Links and Resources

Four new fun sites to visit:

*The Sundance Channel:http://www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen/#/homePage

*Clean out your mailbox with Catalog Choice: http://www.catalogchoice.org/

*What is your personal ecological footprint?: http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp

Government Purchasing Project
This site is the homepage of a U.S. public interest group. They work to urge the government to use its immense purchasing power to promote safe, cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally sound products.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) – Procurement Page
This site describes how to do business with the GSA.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG)
This site offers all that you may want to learn about the CPG and about USEPA’s Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMANs), which recommend recycled-content levels for CPG items.

Under E.O. 13423, the Federal Environmental Executive and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) work to provide clear national direction for federal agencies and help track the government's progress towards the goals and requirements of the order.

EPPNET: Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement Listserv.
Northeast Recycling Council (NERC)
This site makes available information such as product specifications, vendors’ lists, pricing information, and federal procurement policies.

The USEPA Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program Database
This site is a comprehensive source of information on green purchasing. Database includes green contract language and specifications, voluntary standards and guidelines, and other practical information.

U.S. Green Purchasing Information Site
This site contains information compiled by the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) to assist purchasers in their efforts to maintain an EPP program.

Massachusetts EPP Program
This site contains information about state efforts to buy green products, including useful guides and reports as well as contracts for purchasing recycled products and other goods.

North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Trade in Environmentally Preferable Goods and Services Project
This project aims to build North American markets for renewable energy and other green products and to facilitate green trade through eco-labeling and green purchasing.

Responsible Purchasing Network (staffed and managed by the Center for New American Dream) has step by step resources that narrow the complicated field of green procurement and take the guesswork out of effectively implementing environmental policies at your organization, community, company or office. They compile resources from the leaders in the green purchasing world and give you direct access to cutting edge research, industry experts, peers and a team of consultants.

Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative
This is a cooperative of U.S. businesses and public institutions that have joined their purchasing power to encourage suppliers to offer recycled paper and other products at reduced rates.

Energy Star
This is a USEPA-sponsored program that sets energy-efficiency standards for computers, monitors, printers, and other appliances and certifies green buildings (in terms of energy parameters).

The National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Environmental Purchasing Starter Kit
This site contains resources to facilitate the implementation of EPP practices. The kit contains an overview of green procurement, case studies, a comprehensive list of resources, a sample environmental purchasing resolution, a baseline survey and a model press release.

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) – EcoProcura Link Database
This site is a good resource for locating EPP-related sites outside of North America.

Green Seal is an independent organization that certifies and promotes green products and services and works with manufacturers, industry, purchasing groups and governments to green the production and purchasing chain.

Launched by the Canadian federal government in 1988, EcoLogo has grown to serve buyers and sellers of green products throughout the United States and Canada, and around the world. In fact, EcoLogo is North America's oldest environmental standard and certification organization (and the second oldest in the world). It is the only North American standard approved by the Global Ecolabeling Network as meeting the international ISO 14024 standard for environmental labels.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Buy Recycled
This is the NJDEP Bureau of Recycling and Planning information site. It provides information on recycled-material-content products (apparel, plastic-lumber products, paper and paper products, interior design and furnishings, building products and miscellaneous items).

New Jersey Department of Treasury Distribution and Support Services (DSS)
The Department of Treasury is the State’s central procurement agency. It operates a distribution and support services unit or distribution center that provides state agencies, counties, municipalities, and school boards with goods at significantly reduced prices through bulk purchasing. It can also purchase, using state contracts, on behalf of these entities. While not specifically concerned with EPP, information on DSS may be useful as municipalities can purchase goods through the distribution center.