Environmentally. Preferable Purchasing. March 27, 2008

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Ezra Shepherd
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1 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing March 27, 2008

2 Purchasing Impacts Every purchase has an impact on human health and the environment Federal, state and local governments are large consumers of goods and services 20% of U.S. consumption

3 EPP Definition Environmentally Preferable Products Products that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product.

4 EPP Environment + Price + Performance = EPP

5 Environmental Attributes Recycled content Less toxic Resource efficient Saves energy/water/air emissions More durable Recyclable

6 Benefits of EPP Fiscally Responsible Perform Well Save Money and Resources Lower disposal costs Less maintenance Durable Worker Health and Safety Less toxic Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

7 Obstacles Users are unfamiliar with new/different products Lack of standards Product must be economical and effective Change takes time How do you rank environmental preferability?

8 Misleading Terms Eco-safe Environmentally friendly Earth smart Environmentally safe Essentially non-toxic Degradable Biodegradable CFC-free Ozone friendly Recyclable A recent study of 1,018 "green" products from big-box box stores has found That all but one was marketed with false or misleading eco-claims. claims. (Terrachoice Environmental Marketing, 2007)

9 Six Sins of Greenwashing Green-wash wash (green'wash',', -wôsh') verb The act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service 1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off 2. Sin of No Proof 3. Sin of Vagueness 4. Sin of Irrelevance 5. Sin of Fibbing 6. Sin of the Lesser of Two Evils Report:

10 Rely on Independently Certified Green Products Green Seal EcoLogo Energy Star (Energy efficiency) EPEAT ( Green computers) Green-e (Renewable energy) USDA Organic/Fair Trade Green Guard (Low-VOC) Forest Stewardship Council SCS (Verifies green claims) Chlorine Free Products Association

11 Where Do I Begin? Anywhere you want Everyday items (e.g. office products) Largest impact (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions) Borrow Look for other contracts city/county/state Test alternative products Standards Use existing environmental standards whenever possible

12 Who Do I Involve? Key Players Politicians Procurement professionals Suppliers and vendors Environmental managers Users

13 Implementation Steps Make a statement of intent Put someone in charge Work with users one on one Start easy and test Look for things that save money Reward accomplishments Collect data and share results Network

14 Products Purchased by KC Office Products Copy Paper Printing Paper Towels and Tissues Toner Cartridges Can Liners EPEAT Computers Green Cleaners

15 Purchases Automotive Products Re-refined Lubricants Remanufactured Antifreeze Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Biodiesel Vegetable-Oil Based Fluids Parts Washers (aqueous) Tire Retreading/Leasing Hybrid Vehicles (Cars, SUV s s & Buses) Lead Free Wheel Weights

16 More Purchases Construction & Landscaping Materials Plastic Lumber Wood Mulch Compost Glass Filtration Sand Asphalt Cold Patch Concrete Aggregate Slag Cement

17 Cleaners Green Seal certified chemicals Hydrogen peroxide based cleaner Microfiber Cloths No more mop and bucket

18 Recycled Rubber Truck Decking Recycled content More durable Less slippery Better performance Replaces wood Lasts longer

19 Recycled Plastic Truck Sideboards Recycled plastic More durable Less breakage Required on new dump trucks

20 Lead-Free Wheel Weights Lead easily escapes into the environment Banned in Europe Alternatives now available in US Find out more at:

21 Biodiesel B20 20% biodiesel / 80% ultra-low low sulfur diesel 13 million gallons in 2007 Washington State canola seed crop in 2007

22 Hybrid Vehicles 160 cars 35 SUVs 215 buses Fuel efficient

23 Hybrid Vehicles Hybrid truck Lift operates on battery power 25% fuel reduction Plug-in hybrid electric Battery conversion kits More mpg

24 Natural Vegetation Management 270 Boer goats Two Metro Transit project sites Twice a year No pesticides Reduced human labor

25 Porous Concrete 1100 sq. yards Allows water to infiltrate Part of low impact development (LID) project

26 Carpet Refurbished product Recycled content backing Recycled content face fiber Meets State (WA) Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Third party certification (EPP) Before Recycled face fiber Recycled backing After

27 King County EPP Resources

28 Environmental Purchasing Bulletin

29 Website

Additional Resources Responsible Purchasing Network www.

30 Additional Resources Responsible Purchasing Network Purchasing Guides Lighting Computers Water bottles Vehicles

31 Additional Resources Environmental Protection Agency EPP Washington State EPP City of Seattle EPP EPPNet Listserv NIGP Green Knowledge Community

32 Contact Information Karen Hamilton King County Environmental Purchasing Program Procurement & Contract Services Section Finance Division, Department of Executive Services Phone: (206) Website:

Buying Smart: Environmental Products That Save Money. Green Summit

Buying Smart: Environmental Products That Save Money Green Summit March 16, 2009 Sacramento, CA Alicia Culver Green Purchasing Institute Tel: 510-547-5475 Alicia@GreenPurchasing.org Sustainable Products