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Purchasing
Other resources
Buying sustainable products reduces harmful environmental impacts, exposure to toxins, supports the local community and creates market demand that will drive down the price of these products.
Every product is different. Look for local products made with recycled content, non-toxic chemicals and renewable materials. For instance, office paper should be at least 30 percent post-consumer recycled content, non-chlorine bleached and certified by a third-party that it was harvested from a sustainably managed forestry operation.
Contact us for more information.
The following resources also provide important information on this topic:
Office Supplies
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EPA: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) helps businesses “buy green,” and in doing so, helps stimulate market demand for green products and services. The EPA’s EPP Web site can help businesses: Find and evaluate information about green products and services; identify federal green buying requirements; calculate the costs and benefits of purchasing choices; and manage green purchasing processes.
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EPEAT
The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is a certification to help purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products.
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Metro: Buyer’s Guide to Recycled Products
Metro has developed a searchable database of more than 1,000 recycled-content products that are available in Portland at retail and/or wholesale stores, by catalog and online. Use their detailed search to find specific recycled-content products, distance to vendors, maps and other details.
Cleaning Supplies
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EPA: Design for the Environment
EPA allows safer products to carry the Design for the Environment (DfE) label. This mark allows consumers to quickly identify and choose products that can help protect the environment and are safer for families.
When you see the DfE logo on a product it means that the DfE scientific review team has screened each ingredient for potential human health and environmental effects and that-based on currently available information, EPA predictive models, and expert judgment-the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class.
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Green Seal
Green Seal promotes environmental responsibility in the lodging industry by identifying and promoting environmentally responsible products, purchasing, and production. Individual lodging properties that demonstrate environmental leadership in their operations and purchasing can become Green Seal certified and benefit from the market advantage this brings.
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Metro: Green Cleaners Resources
Many commercial cleaning products use ingredients that can be harmful to people and the environment. Fortunately, there are less-toxic, money-saving products—green cleaners that can protect your family and the environment.
Food
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Food Alliance
Food Alliance operates the most comprehensive third-party certification program in North America for sustainably produced food. Food Alliance Certified distinguishes foods produced by farmers, ranchers and food processors that use environmentally and socially responsible practices. Use their Web site to find certified food in your area.
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Office of Sustainable Development: Food Program
Whether it’s organic, local, farm direct or additional resources to make purchasing more sustainable, OSD’s Sustainable Food program can help you set the table.
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USDA: Certified Organic
Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. It is produced without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients, irradiation or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The term “organic” is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); only food that has been produced, handled, and processed following these guidelines is given the USDA Organic seal of approval.
Other small businesses in Portland should use this program because it’s an excellent resource. It’s the one place to go and get answers to questions about many different green topics. If you don’t know who to ask, call BEST Business Center. They’ll connect you.
Jennifer Wright, Job Captain
LRS Architects
The City of Portland was the first local government to adopt a local Global Warming Action Plan in 1993.
The Sustainability Guide was valuable because it was customized to my own business. I also appreciated that they came out to my restaurant so we could review it together.
Mounir Gabriel, Owner
Mummy's Restaurant