What is Environmentally Preferable Purchasing?
Environmentally preferable purchasing is an effort to purchase products and services with a reduced effect on the environment and human health. In addition to improved environmental performance, many environmentally preferable products work as well or better than traditional products and can even save money.
In 2005, the Center launched The Responsible Purchasing Network, to formalize its base of organizations, businesses and agencies committed to practicing environmentally preferable purchasing. The Responsible Purchasing Network is a diverse network of stakeholders that promotes and practices responsible purchasing by identifying best practices, developing effective purchasing tools, educating the market and utilizing its collective purchasing power to maximize environmental stewardship, protect human health and support local and global sustainability. For more information on the RPN, please contact
chris@newdream.org
Switching to safer cleaning products, for example, can reduce incidents of allergic reactions, asthma, burns, eye damage, major organ damage, and cancer connected with the hazardous chemicals used in many traditional cleaning products. Buying 100 percent recycled-content paper can reduce energy use by 44 percent, decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent, cut solid waste emissions in half, decrease water use by 50 percent, and practically eliminate wood use. Similarly, energy-efficient vehicles and renewable energy cut greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollutants while lessening our dependence on imported oil.
Why Focus on Institutional Purchasing?
Institutional purchasers – including federal agencies, state and local governments, colleges and universities, and private companies – represent tremendous purchasing power. For example, state and local governments spend more than $400 billion, and colleges and universities spend more than $300 billion, on products and services every year.
Leveraging institutional purchasing power towards the procurement of environmentally preferable products and services increases market demand, spurring market innovation and ensuring these products and services are widely available and affordable for everyone
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