Green Products Guide
Green
Products Guide
University of Colorado | April 2001
The
Vice Chancellor of Administration has
recommended this guide for use when purchasing.
- Why is purchasing green products important?
- What is included in this guide?
- What is not included in this guide?
- Paper Products
- Office Supplies
- Office Equipment
- Cleaning Products
- Office Furniture
- Small Remodel Supplies
This guide is a production of the University of Colorado
at Boulder Environmental Center and Recycling Services. Assistance was
provided by the Procurement Service Center, CU Bookstore, Facilities Management,
Solid Waste Advisory Board, Distribution Center, Printing and Copying
Services, Property Services, and the Housing Department. Any listing or
discussion of specific products or companies does not imply endorsement
by the university. Please address all inquiries to CU Environmental Center,
207 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 | (303) 492-8308.
Introduction
The purpose of the Green Products Guide is to provide individuals, campus
departments and the campus community with information highlighting what
types of environmentally responsible products are available. The Guide
addresses a variety of qualities that purchasers should request when ordering
these products. Definitions are given for most of the green attributes
listed in this guide. These will help explain what is important about
each attribute, and help aid in the decision-making process when purchasing.
Why
is purchasing green products important?
One of the main impacts CU has on the natural world is through the millions
of dollars that the institution spends each year on purchasing products.
By carefully choosing what we buy, we can use this purchasing power to
encourage the development of environmentally responsible industries, rather
than inadvertently paying for harmful practices. Therefore, purchasing
green products is one of the most influential steps we can take as consumers
to reduce our impact on the environment. Green products reduce daily energy
consumption, are less toxic than other products, and they help in “closing
the recycling loop” by using recycled materials to make new products.
In addition, as demand increases for these products they become more competitive
in price, quality and availability when compared to other alternatives.
What
is included in the guide?
The guide is organized into six categories of products that are frequently
purchased by individuals and departments on campus. They are as follows:
Paper Products, Office Supplies, Office Equipment, Cleaning Products,
Office Furniture, and Small Remodel Supplies.
Within each category, the following items are included:
- Brief summary
of some of the environmental concerns when purchasing products for that
particular category.
- Components—what
specific products are in each category.
- Green Attributes—what
qualifies products in the category as environmentally-friendly.
- Questions to Ask—sample
questions to provide direction for buyers when looking for these products.
- Current Availability—can
these products be found on campus?
- Sample Products—these
are specific products we believe will continue to be offered through
the university. Due to frequent changes among products and vendors,
not all categories include this section.
The second part of this guide is a list of definitions for all of the
bolded attributes in the Green Attributes section. On the last page is
contact information for campus purchasing departments and more.
What
is NOT included in this guide?
This guide does not include vendor names or many specific products, because
both are apt to change frequently. However, the products you will find
through university services (for example CU Bookstore, Printing and Copying,
etc.) and on various contracts are offered because there has been consumer
demand for them.
If you have questions about the availability of specific
products, please refer to the contact information listed on the back page.
If you would like to purchase a product, but find that it is not available,
create consumer demand! Call the vendor or purchasing agent and request
it.
We hope this will serve as a useful guideline when shopping
for green products. Thank you for doing your part to protect the environment!
Green
Products Categories
Paper Products
If decreasing forests, increasing landfills and chemicals in the environment
are areas that concern you, buying green paper products is an easy way
for you to make a difference.
Components:
Printing, copy and fax paper, letterhead, notebooks, folders, and envelopes,
calendars and disposables (napkins, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.).
Green
Attributes:
High post-consumer recycled content,* tree free materials, Totally Chlorine
Free (TCF) or Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) bleaching process (see Alternative
Bleaching Processes), no bright, dark, or deeply dyed paper.
Questions
to ask:
- Which paper products are made with high post-consumer content, and/or
manufactured with recycled or tree free materials?
- Are any of the paper products you offer produced in a way that avoids
the use of environmentally harmful chemicals or processes, for example
Elemental Chlorine Free bleaching?
Current
Availability:
Recycled Paper Products are widely available. On campus, the Bookstore,
Printing and Copying Services, and Distribution Center provide these products.
Request them any time you order paper products. A growing number of off-campus
suppliers also carry recycled products.
Sample
Products:
- Eureka 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Content 81/2x11 Paper
- Eureka 30% Post-Consumer Recycled Content 81/2x11 Paper
- Xerox 30% Recycled Content 81/2x11 Paper
- Top Flight 60% Recycled Content (35% Post-Consumer) Notebooks
- Quality Park 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Content Envelopes
*NOTE: “Recycled” does not always mean that
a product contains 100% recovered content or that the content is post-consumer
materials. Therefore, it is important to specify that you would like products
with high post-consumer (preferably 100%) recycled content. See definitions
on page 8 for further clarification.
Office Supplies
Are you concerned about overfilled landfills and chemicals in the environment?
If yes, check out some of the attributes that make office supplies greener.
Components:
Computer diskettes, trash and recycle bins, desk organizers, tape dispensers,
correction fluid and printer toner cartridges.
Green
Attributes:
Manufactured with recycled content (plastic or steel for desk organizers
and trash and recycling bins) and/or post-consumer content, non-toxic,
Low or No Volatile Organic Compound's (VOC's), (correction fluid, glue)
remanufactured (toner cartridges).
Questions
to ask:
- Are any of the office supply products made with plastic or paper manufactured
with recycled content or high post-consumer content?
- Which glues or correction fluids are non-toxic or have low or no VOC's?
Current
Availability:
Office products with green attributes are available both on and off campus.
Look carefully at the labels and request them if you are uncertain.
Sample
Products:
- Green Disks
- 3M Transparencies (50% recycled content)
Office Equipment
Have you been reading about and experiencing an increase in your utility
bills? Are you worried about the potential effects of global warming?
Are you concerned about the increasing energy use here on campus? Buying
green office equipment that uses less energy is a perfect way to be a
positive influence.
Components:
Computers, printers, fax machines, and copiers.
Green
Attributes:
“Energy Star” label (products that meet the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) standards for energy efficiency), energy efficient,
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) vs. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors.
Questions
to ask:
- Do you offer office equipment with the Energy Star label?
- Do you have computer monitors or laptops that are LCD rather than
CRT?
Current
Availability:
Available through individual vendors and State Contract. Departments also
have the option to lease office equipment. Energy Star labeling for office
equipment is standard for the majority of office equipment, however it
is important to specify this attribute when purchasing office equipment.
Sample
Products:
- Products with the Energy Star label
Cleaning Products
One of the many ways that toxic chemicals enter our environment is through
the cleaning products that we use. If you would like to change the cleaning
products you use, the following can be used as a guideline to purchasing
less toxic products.
Components:
Window, desk, bathroom, and floor cleaners, dishwashing liquid, air fresheners,
and disinfectants.
Green
Attributes:
Non-toxic, (for example no ammonia) not tested on animals, ingredients
that are derived from renewable resources (for example vegetable as opposed
to petroleum), biodegradable, not solvent based.
Questions
to ask:
- Do you offer any brands of cleaning products that are non-toxic or
not solvent based?
- What cleaning products are biodegradable?
Current
Availability:
Most vendors that offer cleaning supplies have green alternatives.
Office Furniture
If preserving forests and maintaining forest practices that are sustainable
(which means not using more than the forest can produce) is important
to you, purchasing green office furniture is a good step toward this goal.
Components:
Chairs, desks, file cabinets, and bookshelves.
Green
Attributes:
Used furniture, no old growth wood, derived from sustainably harvested
materials, recycled content.
Questions
to ask:
- Are any of your plastic or steel products made with recycled content?
- Do you offer wood products made with no old growth wood, or derived
from sustainably harvested materials?
Purchasing used furniture is always an environmentally friendly alternative!
Current
Availability:
State Contracting requires CU departments to use Juniper Valley for all
office furniture. If they do not offer greener alternatives, express your
interest in green products, and let them know there is a consumer demand
for them. Alternatively, departments can purchase used furniture on campus
from Property Services.
Small Remodel
Supplies
There are a variety of products in this category. Depending on what you
are purchasing, you could be helping to reduce chemical exposure in the
environment, reduce energy use on campus, or reduce the amount of waste
entered into the landfill.
Components:
Paints, finishes, stains, adhesives, flooring and lighting
Green
Attributes:
Non-toxic (for example no Formaldehyde or solvents) and/or Low or No Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC's) (for paints, adhesives), energy efficient, recycled
content.
Questions
to ask:
- Do you offer paints that are non-toxic or have low or no VOC's?
- What types of lighting (lamps, ballasts) are the most energy efficient?
- Are any of the carpets you offer made with recycled content?
Current
Availability:
CU does not have a contract with one company. Instead, CU hires contractors
for small remodels and small construction projects. Project managers can
specify or request paints with low or no VOC's, recycled content carpets,
energy efficient lighting, and other green products.
Green
Attribute Definitions
ALTERNATIVE
BLEACHING PROCESSES: Bleaching is the process used to whiten
paper. Chlorine bleaching, which produces toxic dioxins, is currently
the most common bleaching method used. Dioxins have been linked to cancer
and birth defects in laboratory studies. There are several other bleaching
techniques that either reduce or eliminate the emission of dioxins, which
are as follows:
- ELEMENTAL
CHLORINE FREE (ECF): A bleaching process that substitutes
chlorine dioxide or other chlorine compounds for elemental chlorine
gas.1
- TOTALLY
CHLORINE FREE (TCF): A bleaching process that introduces
no chlorine into the bleaching stage, using instead oxygen, hydrogen
peroxide, and ozone to separate and whiten fibers.1
BIODEGRADABLE:
Describes a material or liquid that is capable of breaking down by natural
processes.
ENERGY EFFICIENT:
Products that are energy efficient use less energy and therefore produce
less pollution than conventional products. In addition, using these products
can save you money by lowering your monthly energy bill.
ENERGY STAR
LABEL: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has established energy efficiency criteria for office products that employ
Low-Power mode conditions to reduce energy consumption and emissions.
The Low-Power Mode refers to the lowest power state the product can automatically
enter within some period of product inactivity, without actually turning
off. Energy Star equipment reduces pollution, lowers your energy bill,
generates less heat, and has a longer life span than other equipment.2
Note that you often must configure your equipment to use the low-power
mode to get the full benefit of this feature.
LOW-VOC:
Low odor, vapor density is lighter than air and emits fewer volatile organic
compounds (VOC's) and other toxins.
LCD vs.
CRT: Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors and laptops use
less energy and put out less heat, than Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors.
NON-TOXIC:
A substance or mixture of substances that is less likely to harm humans
or other living organisms from airborne or skin contact in the environment.
There are many toxic chemicals in the products we use; formaldehyde, ammonia,
and solvents are just a few. For more information on chemicals, please
contact the Environmental Operations Manager for Facilities Management.
(Contact information on back page.)
OLD GROWTH:
250-500 year-old trees with a mixed canopy (trees in various stages) including
down trees (trees that have fallen and are decaying). Among other attributes,
old growth forests provide a variety of different habitats and nutrients.
POST-CONSUMER
MATERIAL: Any material that has served its intended use as
a consumer item, and has been recovered from the solid waste stream. Buying
products with a high percentage of post-consumer material rather than
pre-consumer material stimulates demand for recycling collection programs,
like CU's.
PRE-CONSUMER
MATERIAL: Any material generated by manufacturers and product
converters such as trimmings, damaged products, and overruns.
RECYCLABLE:
A product that is recyclable has the potential to be recycled and used
again to make new products.
RECYCLED
CONTENT: An item that contains some pre-consumer or post-consumer
content. Read the label carefully to verify the percentage of post-consumer
content.
SOLVENT
BASED: Solvents are one of the causes of volatile organic compounds
(see Low VOC for definition). Look instead for water, vegetable, or citric
bases.
SUSTAINABLY
HARVESTED MATERIALS: Wood-based products derived from selective
harvesting which improves/sustains the long-term old growth structure
of a forest.1 There are only a few legitimate certification
groups for sustainably harvested materials. One of the most respected
is the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certification.
TREE-FREE:
Non-wood, alternative fibers primarily derived from annual crops, either
grown intentionally for paper or abundant by-products of food and fiber
production. Because they only grow for one season, these crops do not
develop the high levels of lignins that bind tree cellulose fibers together.
This means tree-free fibers can be pulped with significantly fewer chemicals,
fewer stages of bleaching, using less energy and water, making tree-free
fibers more environmentally advantageous than wood-based varieties. Most
of these crops can be blended with post-consumer materials to create quality
papers for a variety of applications. Examples include Bamboo, Kenaf,
and Hemp.1
1 The SimpleLife Guide to Tree-Free,
Recycled and Certified Papers, 1999. Author: Dan Inholf, info@simplelife.com
2 www.labeling@energystar.gov
Contact
Information
Questions
| Comments | Concerns
Please call the following
departments for specific information on what green products are currently
available.
CU
Bookstore (303) 492-3425 | http://cubooks.colorado.edu
Offers green office supplies and recycled paper (including 100% post-consumer)
through store in the UMC and catalog. Website for campus department on-line
ordering and delivery within 24 hours: http://cubooks.colorado.edu/books/supplies/cop.html
CU
Environmental Center (303) 492-8308 | http://www.colorado.edu/ecenter
On-campus resource for promoting environmental awareness among students,
faculty, staff, and the broader community. In addition, the Environmental
Center assesses and works to improve the environmental performance of
the university.
CU
Recycling (303) 492-8307 | http://www.colorado.edu/cure
One of the leading campus recycling programs in the country, its mission
is to divert recyclables from the waste stream cost-effectively while
promoting the benefits of recycling and resource conservation. CU Recycling
operates as a partnership between the student government (UCSU), Facilities
Management, and Housing.
Distribution
Center (303) 492-6322 | http://stripe.colorado.edu/~propman
Offers several types of recycled paper, including 100% and 30% post-consumer
content and will recycle pallets (call for pick up).
Printing
and Copying Services (303) 492-2679 | http://www.colorado.edu/printcopy
Five locations on campus that all provide environmentally responsive printing
and copying. Continues to be a campus leader in offering recycled paper
including 100% post-consumer content paper and 30% post-consumer CU letterhead.
Property
Services/Surplus Properties (303) 492-6524 | http://stripe.colorado.edu/~propman
Recycles old equipment (office equipment, furniture and other various
items) through resale and others.
Procurement
Service Center Help Desk (303) 724-4772 | http://www.cu.edu/psc
Responsible for purchasing, accounts payable, travel, and procurement
cards for the university. Website with contact information for Procurement
Service Center purchasing agents: http://www.cu.edu/psc/Purchasing/who-buys02/who-buys02.html
For information on where
to recycle materials call the following service centers:
CU
Recycling (303) 492-8307
Visit http://www.colorado.edu/cure
for on-campus recycling information.
EcoCycle
(303) 444-6634 | http://www.ecocycle.org
Community-based recycling.
Recycle
Boulder Hotline (303) 441-4234
Information on curbside recycling in Boulder.
Colorado
Materials Exchange (CoMex) (303) 492-4330 | http://colorado.edu/cure/comex
CoMex is a non-profit on-line bulletin board that coordinates the exchange
of durable goods between businesses that have surplus materials to business
and community groups who could use them.
For more information
on toxic chemicals:
CU's
Environmental Operations Manager for Facilities Management
(303) 492-5321
