Section 3: NASPO Green Purchasing Policy Statement
A. POLICY STATEMENT

NASPO GREEN PURCHASING POLICY STATEMENT
Adopted January 22, 2009
NASPO seeks to leverage the purchasing power of state and local government to conserve energy and national resources, limit environmental pollution and waste, improve public health, encourage clean technologies, and create cost savings opportunities and a balanced economy.  NASPO will accomplish this through the development of policies, programs and information resources that educate procurement decision makers on environmental issues and solutions.
 

B. PURPOSE

NASPO is uniquely positioned to coordinate the purchasing power of state and local governments to achieve significant progress towards environmentally preferable goals. Further, NASPO believes that the “greening” of purchasing is critically important and wishes to be a leader in advancing green purchasing in state and local governments. NASPO's efforts will increase the use and availability of environmentally preferable “green” products, reduce environmental impacts, increase recycling, and reduce energy consumption on a nationwide basis.

C. DEFINITIONS

“Environmentally preferable goods and services” are those that have a lesser or reduced impact on the environment over the life cycle of the good or service when compared with competing goods or services that serve the same purpose.  Environmentally preferable goods may also have one or more of the following characteristics:
  • reduced packaging
  • ease of re-use, refurbishment, remanufacture, or recycling at end of life
  • reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and air contaminants
  • improved energy and water efficiency
  • use of alternative sources of energy and fuels
  • reduced waste and practices that support reuse and recycling
  • use of renewable resources
  • reduced exposure to toxins and hazardous substances
  • promotes practices that support and sustain healthy communities and social structures.