ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is referred to as green purchasing. In this type of purchase, one makes a selection carefully and purchases products and services that most effectively reduce negative environmental impacts over their life cycle of manufacturing, transportation, use and recycling or disposal.

Examples of environmentally preferable characteristics

1. Products and services that conserve energy and water.

2. Minimise generation of waste and release of pollutants.

3. Products made from recycled materials and that can be reused or recycled.

4. Energy from renewable resources such as biofuel, solar and wind power.

5. Products using alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals, radioactive materials and biohazardous agents.

Green purchasing is when you think about the effects of the product on the environment before purchasing the product or service. Large companies are now making this a corporate practice. The ultimate goal is to reduce environmental impacts of resources and to increases resource efficiency.

By buying the green products and services, we help in several ways :

· Reduce pollution and conserve natural resources and energy.

· Develop new, more environmentally friendly products.

· Stimulate new markets for recycled materials and create jobs.

· Improve awareness on environmental stewardship.

· Encourage more research.

· Provide potential cost saving.

· Reduce negative effects on the earth.

· Comply with environmental laws and regulations.

· Improve safety and health of our students, workers and the public.

Green Products And Services

Transportation Services

· Use ground transportation whenever possible such as commuter, shuttle bus, etc.

· Use hybrid, battery or electronic vehicle.

· Optimise total transportation distances.

· Find shorter routes/way to your destinations.

· Improve vehicle efficiency through hydrogen combustion and nitrogen-filled tyres.

· Look for best environmentally innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact.

Information Technology Products

Buy computers, peripherals, copiers and related electronics that have these features :

· Repairable and made of modular components that can easily be swapped out.

· Returnable to the manufacturer under an end-of-life programme.

· Energy efficient.

· Free of electronic equipment that contain hazardous materials.

· Highly recyclable and designed to be easily dis-assembled and recycled.

Food Products

· Buy local during harvest season.

· Look for food that is chemical and pesticide-free.

· Look carefully at the total carbon footprint from initial production to final consumption.

· Insist on minimal packaging that is 100% recyclable.

· Buy in usable quantities (to reduce spoilage).

Energy Services and Products

· Use renewable sources as your primary power source.

· Reduce dependence on diesel and other environmentally harmful methods of back-up power generation.

· Use clean coal or natural gas as back-up power sources.

· Minimise noise pollution (from generation and distribution).

It is important for purchasers, whether they are corporate, government or institutional, to make a great impacts on the future of the planet with every buying decision that they make. They must avoid the hidden cost of the purchase on the environment.