Why Buy Green?

Why Environmental Preferable Purchasing is Important

What does Environmentally Preferable mean?
Environmentally Preferable Products or Services have a lesser or reduced negative effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services which serve the same purpose.

What is an environmentally preferable product or service?
Environmentally Preferable Products or Services minimize the consumption of resources, energy and water; prevent or minimize the creation of solid waste, air pollution or water pollution; minimize the use of materials or processes which compromise the environment; and/or promote the use of less or non-toxic substances, and avoid toxic materials or processes.

Why purchase environmentally preferable products and services?
Every product has a human health and environmental impact. We can choose to significantly reduce that impact by being proactive in what we buy.

Increasing the City's purchase of environmentally preferable products is not meant to be an added burden on employees, but to serve as a catalyst to help the City meet the community's sustainability goals, state and federal requirements, decrease hazardous waste disposal costs, and help create a healthier and safer environment for City employees and residents.

Can purchasing environmentally preferable products actually save money?
Yes! For example:

• Using energy efficient and water-conserving products can save money by reducing consumption.
• Products that are reusable, refillable and repairable are more cost-effective in the long run than disposable single use products.
• Buying less-hazardous products can reduce disposal costs.
• Many environmentally preferable products are comparable in cost with their traditional counterparts.

While some environmentally preferable products (EPPs) cost more at the time of purchase, a large portion of them will save more money in the long run, or over the lifetime of the produce (especially considering the maintenance, operation, and disposal of the product).