Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) refers to the purchasing of products that have a reduced negative effect on human health and/or the environment when compared to comparable products and services.  The practice of EPP or green purchasing incorporates the evaluation of more than the conventional framework involving purchase price and quality of the product; it considers other costs, such as the costs of replacement of the product, energy usage of the product, disposal of the product, and others.  Together, these inform the life cycle assessment of a product – or the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process or service from material extraction to make it to the product’s ultimate disposal.  Green purchasing works because you are able to affect the market with your procurement decisions – you can choose to do business with manufacturers and vendors with strong environmental commitments – choosing products that are less toxic, conserve natural resources, reduce waste, and generally have a lessened environmental impact that other products. 

In many cases, this will actually save you money as well.  For example, in the case of electronics, the costs of replacement, energy usage, and hazardous waste disposal can add up quickly and may have not been incorporated into the costs you accounted for when you originally purchased the product.  Some of these costs could have been mitigated with the purchase of a machine that is more energy efficient alone. 

Some of the benefits realized by buying green include (but are not limited to):

• An improved ability to meet Yale’s environmental goals and requirements.
• Potential cost savings.
• Improved worker health and safety.
• Reduced operating and maintenance costs, including hazardous material handling and disposal costs.
• Reduced liabilities.
• Helps create and sustain markets for environmentally responsible and recycled content products.
• Helps preserve natural resources.