Guide for SF Depts.
- Benefits of buying green
- Green products City staff are required to buy if using City funds
- Suggested green products
- Limited use products allowed only as a last resort
- Prohibited products
- Annual report of City staff that bought green or prohibited products
- Green products that are not on this site
- Signs to buy green, or recycle batteries, chemicals, electronics, silver food packaging, lighting, styrofoam
- Your Buy Green Score (part of your mandatory Department Climate Action Plan- DepCAP)
- Contact us
Benefits of buying green from this site
Earn the Buy Green Club of Year Award. It'll look great on your resume. Shine with other City Champions at the Annual Green and Blue Awards. Win popular green products, such as:
- Less-toxic permanent markers or whiteboard markers
- Hand sanitizers or wipes
- Rocket-shaped keyboard dusters or brushes (computer can dusters contribute to climate change)
- Correction tape (some fluids have solvents that cause cancer)
- Rechargeable batteries that last a year between charges
- Microfiber cloths that cleans faster
- Safer cleaners or graffiti removers
Comply with ordinances requiring City staff to buy green (Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance) or use less-toxic pest control on City-owned properties (Integrated Pest Management Ordinance).
Save money (e.g., through Citywide term contract awards or City-compliant vendors).
Reduce worker health and safety complaints and sick days.
Try over 1,000 green products and services tested by City staff.
Earn credits for US Green Building Council (USGBC) certification (LEED).
Watch videos on why people like you buy green.
Green products City staff are required to buy if using City funds
- Automotive parts washers, wheel weights/balancers
- Bags for trash
- Batteries
- Cleaners (bathroom, tub, tile, cleaner degreasers, general purpose, glass)
- Computers and servers
- Copier, printer, scanner, fax
- Foodware
- Fuel
- Furniture
- Janitorial: hand dryers, bath tissue, seat covers
- Office supplies
- Water drinking
Suggested green products
City staff are encouraged to try these products.
Limited use products allowed only as a last resort
Prohibited products
- Arsenic Treated Wood
- Bottled water
- Products made of #3 plastic/PVC/vynil (soft plastics, clear view binders, etc.)
- Styrofoam foodware
Get green products not listed on this site
Here are some great resources. They have not been verified to meet the City's green standards.
Consumer products:
- GoodGuide.com: Food, Household Chemicals (Air Fresheners, Dishwashing, Cleaners).
- San Francisco Green Businesses that meet environmental standards set by the City.
Institutional products:
- Thousands of Ecologo certified consumer and institutional products.
- Hundreds of Green Seal certified products.
- City of Portland's green specs, case studies, policies, reports.
- Green Seal publications, resources and research for best practices in green purchasing.
- Specs for Los Angeles County by Green Seal for 50 product categories.
- Responsible Purchasing Network's best practicies, specifications, contract language, and product lists used by hundreds of institutional purchasers.
- Recycled-Content Product Directory by CA Integrated Waste Management Board.
- Get your question answered by other professional green purchasers (EPPnet Listserv by the Northeast Recycling Council).
Your Buy Green Score (part of your mandatory Department Climate Action Plan- DepCAP)
By 2/28/13, earn prizes and the Buy Green Club of the Year Award:
If you have questions, suggestions, feedback throughout the year, contact Marci Yellin, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 415-326-3805. Sample ideas:
- When SFE invites your department to a meeting on lighting in spring, encourage staff to attend.
- Add this text to your newsletters, purchasing or performance appraisal form, staff handbook: City staff get prizes when they visit SFApproved.org/citystaff to comply with the Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance and buy REQUIRED green products and avoid LIMITED USE and PROHIBITED products. Save money- buy less or buy green.
- Take photos of signs to buy green. Post them in your lunchroom and at computers of staff that approve or make purchases.
- Inspire your department to rate these products:
- Consumer products: reusable bags, tape, foodware, landscaping products, carpet, paint thinners, paint, wood.
- Industrial products: cleaners, automotive (brake cleaners, parts washers, refillable can sprayers, shop towel laundering service), hand dryers, lubricants/oils (building/vehicle repair), moving services/ boxes.
Depts. that got the highest scores for 2010.
When and how to contact us
Unfortunately, we do not have the bandwith to respond to these requests:
- Research products that are not in this site.
- Add products you have not tested.
- Sales calls. Here's how to sell to the City.
Contact us for other questions.
