Sustainable Purchasing Resources for Businesses and Public Agencies

Sustainable purchasing is the practice of making purchasing decisions that intentionally strengthen our environment, society, and economy. When focused exclusively on environmental factors, this is sometimes called environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) or green purchasing.

StopWaste provides a suite of resources to help public agencies and businesses in Alameda County develop, implement, and strengthen sustainable purchasing practices — from foundational guides and customizable policy templates to compliant product lists and contracting tools.

Why Sustainable Purchasing Matters

Purchasing more sustainable products and services supports a range of organizational values and goals, from fiscal responsibility to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Depending on which commodities and services your organization prioritizes, sustainable purchasing can:

• Support greenhouse gas reductions within your agency and supply chains
• Reduce energy consumption and promote water conservation
• Enable waste prevention and landfill diversion
• Decrease harmful chemical exposures for staff and communities
• Enhance fiscal health through risk reduction and long-term cost savings
• Drive market innovation toward more sustainable products
• Advance social equity and ethical working conditions
• Enable circular and regenerative economic solutions

Getting Started

StopWaste's implementation resources are designed to build sequentially — start with the guides to understand sustainability criteria for specific product categories, adopt a policy framework to formalize your organization's commitment, then use compliant product lists and contracting tools to put purchasing decisions into practice.

All resources are either ready-to-use or customizable based on your organization's needs, and the modular approach allows you to select the combination most relevant to your priorities.

StopWaste collaborates with the County of Alameda General Services Agency (GSA) to support public agencies across the region. Additional resources are available through AC Sustain.

Collaboration & Partner Organizations

Public agencies across the country have built sustainable purchasing programs with valuable lessons to share. Supporting organizations offer tools, research, and networking opportunities to help advance procurement practices. Explore these resources to learn from peers and find collaboration opportunities.

Simple Ways to Protect the Environment at Home

Practical steps to reduce food waste, choose reusables, buy green, dispose of items responsibly, and handle hazardous materials safely — with links to local programs and tools.