Guide for Large Organizations

Learn how San Francisco gets City staff to buy green

Get an inside view:

• History
• How the program is funded
• How SF Depts. make purchases
• How SF tracks the amount of green products bought
• Incentives for local, small businesses to contract with the City
• SF Buy Green Program organizational structure
• Barriers to implementing a best-value contract policy

Buy these green products

• Buy green products in the SF Approved List.
• Get other green products that are not in the SF Approved List.

Use SF Approved green laws, policies, specs and contract language

• SF Approved language
• Language for other green products not in the SF Approved List
• Ask all vendors to use green packaging

See videos and guides to buy green

• Why reuse, buy less, buy green, and recycle through responsible companies
• Fun, Draconian Tips to "Make" People Change
• Responsible Purchasing Network
• Learn the lingo: ecolabels (e.g., Energystar), attributes, criterion, standard
• Buying Smart: Experiences of Municipal Green Purchasing Pioneers

Track green products your organization buys

• Responsible Purchasing Network slideshow by NYC, US Dept. of Energy