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Department of Administrative Services

Green Buyer

Introduction

This site contains helpful resources to assist Iowa government agencies with purchasing environmentally friendly products.

The "Green Government Summit" was held 07/15/2009       "RPN Member Badge: Wear it Proudly on Your Website RPN Members, now you can proudly display your commitment to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing with the RPN Member Badge. Place it on your website or use it in written materials to show the world you are serious about responsible purchasing. More

The Green Buyer website contains:

Getting Started Buying Green

Scot Case, an international expert on responsible sourcing and a leader in "Green" buying spoke at the annual Iowa Procurement Professionals Conference.  His insightful comments have been captured on the three segment links below.

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Scot Case - Introduction and Video Presentation

Segment One: mms://video2.state.ia.us/das/2007/071017-green-purchasing-01.wmv
Segment Two: mms://video2.state.ia.us/das/2007/071017-green-purchasing-02.wmv
Segment Three: mms://video2.state.ia.us/das/2007/071017-green-purchasing-03.wmv

"Responsible Purchasing Network" (RPN)
Includes more than 80 environmental purchasing policies and links to several additional resources.
The "Getting Started" section includes a lot of useful resources, including the June 2004 Government Procurement. The State of Iowa, Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is a member of the Responsible Purchasing Network. We encourage you to become members also. RPN is a national network of procurement-related professionals dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing. One of the RPN membership benefits is access to their 'Purchasing Guides' which studies into certain products in detail, such as Bottled Water, Cleaners, Computers, Fleets, Lighting, Office Lighting, Paint, and Faith Communities.

Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) The State of Iowa, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is also a member of the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI). The objective of product stewardship is to encourage manufacturers to redesign products with fewer toxics, and to make them more durable, reusable, and recyclable, and with recycled materials.

If there are any resources, information, or seminars that are available from either of these valuable organizations on a "members only" basis, and you wish to participate or obtain information; please contact Douglas Reed, CPPB. As State of Iowa employee members we can help you access those 'membership required' items.

"Policy Purchasing Policies 101"
Procurement article highlighting the key policy considerations contained within green purchasing policies -

"Environmental Purchasing Policies 101" A 40-page report that includes recommended environmental purchasing policy language and extensive excerpts from 80 different policies.

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Green Products Contracts

2043-08 Adventure Lighting Ballast  
CT1036X Packaging Distribution Boxes  
MSA1621-A Mannington - WSCA Carpeting, Recycled Backing  
MSA1621-B Milliken - WSCA Carpeting, Recycled Backing  
MSA1621-C Mohawk - WSCA Carpeting, Recycled Backing  
MA6416-1
MA6416-2
MA6416-3
MA6416-4
MA6416-5 		WW Grainger Cleaning Supplies WW Grainger
  Iowa Prison Industries Cleaning Supplies Iowa Prison Industries
A63309 WSCA HP//Hewlett Packard Computers and Laptops, DC5700 & DC5800 EPEAT Gold Models, 6510 & 6710 Series SILVER EPEAT - Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
EPEAT identifies more environmentally preferable computer desktops, laptops and monitors. There are currently more than 575 products from 21 manufacturers on the EPEAT registry
HP Planet Partners Return Recycling Program 02/08
3498-09 HTR Group Fluorescent Bulbs  
  Iowa Prison Industries Furniture Iowa Prison Industries
MA317508 Kurtz Doors and Doors Hardware  
  Iowa Prison Industries Furniture Iowa Prison Industries
3332-09 Keck Inc Gasoline, Fuel, Oil, Biodiesel  
CT2407OFMAXX OfficeMax Office Supplies, Toners  
MATSB3130 Wagner Family Enterprise Inc/The Toner Place Toner Cartridges, Remanufactured  
CT1165PAINT Sherwin Williams Paints Sherwin Williams
CT1853-1X Advertisers Duplicating Paper, Computer, Greenbar  
CT1852X Paper Corporation Paper, Motto Bond  
3440-09 Baker & Taylor Paper, Recycled Copy Baker & Taylor
3058-08 Sink Paper Paper, Toilet, Tissue, Napkins, Facial, Towels  
CT2105XX Sink Paper Plastic Bags, Film to Produce  
CT0167XX Sink Paper Plates, Cups Food Containers  
MA2157 Artistic Waste Services Recycling Services - Waste Mgmt Artistic Waste Services
CT2570AA Sears Refrigerators - Energy Star  
3232-08 Home Depot, The Wood Products Home Depot
Home Depot Supply
Home Depot Supply
US Communities

This section is updated as contracts are added.

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Executive Branch Policies

Governor's Executive Order to Establish Green Government Initiative #6

The Department of Administrative Services follows the rules set forth here in regards to:
Governor's Executive Order #41: Bio-fuels, energy reduction, life cycle cost analysis, etc. and
Governor's Executive Order #56: Recycling, recycled content products, landfill waste reduction, etc.

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Environmental Labels

  • Chlorine Free Products Association (CFPA)
    CFPA certifies paper and tissue products meeting its standard.
  • EcoLogo
    EcoLogo is North America's oldest and most widely known environmental leadership standard. It is the only North American program certified by the Global Ecolabeling Network. The EcoLogo website includes more than 150 environmental standards and more than 3,000 certified products. Purchasers are using the site to research or develop purchasing specifications and to put together [potential bidder lists.
  • Energy Star
    The U.S. Federal Government's Energy Star program establishes energy-efficiency criteria for a wide variety of products in more than 40 product categories. The site lists all of the products meeting efficiency requirements. It also includes recommended purchasing specifications and online training resources.
  • EPEAT - Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
    EPEAT identifies more environmentally preferable computer desktops, laptops and monitors. There are currently more than 575 products from 21 manufacturers on the EPEAT registry.
  • Green-e
    Green-e certifies sources of renewable electricity and renewable energy credits generated from clean energy sources such as wind, solar, or small scale hydro-electric. It also certifies products that were manufactured in facilities using renewable energy.
  • Green Seal
    Green Seal is one of only two North American members of the Global Ecolabeling Network. Its' website includes detailed environmental standards for dozens of commodities. It also includes a list of all of the Green Seal certified products with links to the manufacturers. Purchasers are using the site to research or develop purchasing specifications and to put together potential bidder lists.
  • GREENGUARD
    Green Guard focuses exclusively on indoor air quality issues. Its website includes certified products in more than 15 different categories, many focus on building materials and interiors.
  • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
    LEED establishes the most widely cited standard for determining the environmental preferably of buildings. Its point based system makes it easy for purchasers to specify green buildings.

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Local/Regional/National Organizations