Products

Electronic Equipment and Product Stewardship

Green Purchasing

"Green purchasing" is selecting products that have minimal impacts upon the environment and human health.

The most important part of "green purchasing" is taking steps to avoid pollution and waste. Look for products made with energy efficient equipment and processes, recycled materials, and non-toxic materials. Look for products that have a long useful life, and can be easily recycled or reused when they are no longer being used for their intended purpose. From design to disposal, product choices affect the environment.

Click on the links below for information about electronic products that are more environmentally friendly.

The Guide to Environmentally Preferable Computer Purchasing
Use this guide to help you make environmentally friendly purchasing choices for computer equipment. The Guide provides information on the product features that can damage the environment and environmentally sound alternatives.

Rating System for Computers and Peripherals
This report summarizes existing eco-label and certification systems for computers and peripherals.

Resources

• EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, was introduced in July, 2006. EPEAT is a procurement tool to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) for Electronics from the US EPA offers information on environmental attributes to consider, procurement guidance, tools, case studies, and web resources.
• Guidelines for Procurement, Use and End-of-Life Management of Electronic Equipment was publised in 2003 by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, in partnership with the California Department of General Services. The guidelines address procurement, use and end-of-life management.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide, published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (Minnesota) and last updated in 2002, includes a chapter on electronics that addresses laws and guidelines, performance, availability, cost, specifications, vendors, success stories and resources.
• Greenerchoices.org, launched by Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, is a Web-based initiative to inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally-friendly products and practices. It offers an information on buying “greener” products that have minimal environmental impact and meet personal needs.
• Eco-Patent Commons is an initiative to create a collection of patents on technology that directly or indirectly protects the environment. The patents will be pledged by companies and other intellectual property rights holders and made available to anyone free of charge.

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