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San Francisco Shares Its Database for Green Purchasing
by Don Knapp
San Francisco’s Department of the Environment just made green purchasing easier for local governments nationwide. With the launch of SF Approved List, purchasing agents can view a database of more than 1,000 products that San Francisco staff have already vetted and deemed “green,” in terms of human health and safety, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, recycled content, and other factors. Bookmark the site and save yourself potentially hours of research.
Products listed follow the Precautionary Principle and meet the City's strict standards for its environmentally preferable purchasing ordinance. The massive list includes everything from LED light bulbs and computer keyboard dusters to household cleaners, pesticides, and paints as well as banned products like styrofoam and bottled water. Much of the database originated from GoodGuide, a commercial purchasing guide, but City staff also conducted their own research and solicited more detailed information from companies about their products, making SF Approved List a more thorough resource compared to most commercial guides.
In a New York Times Green blog post, Julie Weiss, an environmental specialist with the City of Palo Alto, CA, summed up with SF Approved List means for other municipalities:
I think what will be most helpful is for other public agencies to see San Francisco’s product and service specifications. Cities who are working on green purchasing and similar initiatives share information and specifications as much as possible and having a well-organized website to go to will make it that much easier and faster to get information.
The City's website allows San Francisco to lead by example not only for other local governments, but consumers and businesses. Voluntary participants in the San Francisco Green Business Program are asked to follow the purchasing guidelines.
Way to go, San Francisco -- you're leading on yet another issue, and the entire ICLEI Network will benefit.
Another Resource
ICLEI's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide (members only)
