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Sustainable Purchasing

• Introduction
• What is EPP?
• How Can I Practice EPP?
• Tools for Finding Environmentally Preferable Items
• Complete the Cycle

Tools for Finding Environmentally Preferable Items

When you receive a request for a purchase, use these sites to help you find an environmentally friendly option:

• Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT): EPEAT is a product registry that assists purchasers in evaluating, comparing, and selecting desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on 28 environmental performance criteria. Registered products are rated Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Dell (a current UC Strategic Source Vendor) offers several computers rated in the EPEAT Gold category.
• Energy Star: A program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that aims to reduce energy usage by identifying products that meet specific standards for energy efficiency and features.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Database: This EPA resource includes information on environmentally-preferable vendors and products; it also includes contract language and policies developed by local, state, and federal governments, which can assist with federally-funded purchases.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international certification system that recognizes the highest levels of environmentally and socially responsible forest management. Their certification can be found on a range of wood-based products. OfficeMax (a current UC Strategic Source Vendor) offers FSC certified paper products.
• Green Seal: This non-profit organization uses scientific criteria to choose environmentally preferable options from a wide range of consumer products, which are then identified with the Green Seal logo.
• Scientific Certification Systems (SCS): SCS provides third-party certification of environmental performance and quality standards for many different manufacturing industries.