StopWaste's Sustainable Purchasing Guides provide practical, category-specific guidance to help public agencies make more environmentally responsible purchasing choices. Each guide is designed as a concise, two-page resource that staff can reference when making purchasing decisions or communicating sustainability priorities to leadership.

Guide Format

Every guide follows a consistent structure:

  • Product or service description — what the category covers
  • How to purchase — where and how to find compliant options
  • Minimum requirements — baseline sustainability criteria (referenced in the policy template)
  • Leadership opportunities — optional criteria for organizations ready to go further
  • Ecolabel references — certifications to look for
  • Related tips — guidance on planning, usage, and end-of-life
  • Benefits — how the category connects to broader sustainability goals
  • Related links — additional resources and registries

Several guides reference California SB 1383 requirements, which mandate minimum post-consumer recycled content for certain paper and janitorial products.

Guide Sections

Office & Paper Products

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for White Copy Paper

Copy and multipurpose papers are used in high volumes to support many of our day-to-day operations. Any white copy paper purchased directly by staff must contain a minimum of 30% post- consumer recycled content to comply with California’s Senate Bill 1383, aka SB 1383, which went into effect January 2022.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Paper Office Supplies

Paper fiber is a common material for many office supplies - from sticky notes to storage boxes. Paper office supplies purchased directly by staff must contain a minimum of 30% post- consumer recycled content when equal in cost and function to comply with California’s Senate Bill 1383, aka SB 1383, which went into effect January 2022.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Toner Cartridges

No matter the type of printer you have, the cost of the toner over the life of the printer is likely to far exceed the upfront price of that printer. Yet, you can lower toner costs while still getting quality products and reducing associated environmental impacts by choosing remanufactured and/or high-yield toner cartridges.

Office Equipment & Technology

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Computers & Monitors

Electronics are key feature of most workplaces today. Consequently, purchasing more sustainable electronics represents a significant opportunity to further an agency’s sustainability goals - whether focused on energy consumption, toxics reduction, human/worker rights, and/or waste reduction.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Imaging Equipment

Office electronics such as printers and copiers continue to be a mainstay for most offices. Consequently, purchasing more sustainable electronics represents a significant opportunity to further an agency’s sustainability goals - whether focused on energy consumption, toxics reduction, and/or waste reduction.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Servers

Servers are the backbone of our networks and online applications. Data centers are also some of the most energy intensive buildings to operate, consuming 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building. Data centers are also water intensive - among the top-ten water-consuming industrial or commercial industries in the U.S. While smart data center design is key to reducing impacts, the server equipment itself plays a significant role in reducing both energy and cooling loads within data centers.

Facilities & Operations

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Refrigerant-Using Equipment

Purchasing more sustainable refrigerant-using appliances and HVAC equipment can significantly reduce energy consumption and contribute less to global warming than conventional alternatives.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Indoor Furniture

Furniture can contain a lot of hidden toxic chemicals that can either off-gas or rub off products over time, affecting human health. The Minimum Requirements in this guide focus on reducing exposures to harmful chemicals, among other beneficial attributes. Updated June 2025

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Janitorial Paper Products

Janitorial paper products are single-use items primarily used in facility restrooms and break rooms. They may be purchased as stand-alone items or included in a custodial services contract. Any janitorial paper products purchased directly by staff must contain a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content to comply with California’s Senate Bill 1383, aka SB 1383, which went into effect January 2022.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Disinfectants

Although all “antimicrobial” products have risks, many conventional disinfectants, such as chlorine bleach, pose more serious risks to custodial workers and building occupants because they contain active ingredients that have been found to cause asthma, cancer, skin sensitization, or other health hazards. Yet, surface disinfectants with more benign health and environmental impacts than conventional disinfectants are readily available, cost effective, and have equivalent or greater efficacy in killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Lighting Products

The light-emitting diode (LED) is today’s most energy-efficient and rapidly developing lighting technology. Compared to fluorescent lamps, LEDs use only about half the electricity to produce the same amount of light. Quality LEDs last longer, are less prone to breakage, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting. LED lamps and retrofit kits are often compatible with existing light fixtures with no need to rewire or replace fixtures, and LED products are available for most lighting applications. Updated June 2025

Print Services

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Print Services

Print services are often used for high-volume print jobs, mailers, and specialty printing. If your agency directly uses the resulting print job materials, the paper used for the print job must contain a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content to comply with California’s Senate Bill 1383, aka. SB 1383, which went into effect January 2022.

Food Service & Events

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Single-Use Food Service Ware

While food service ware may not be the first thing you think of when planning an event, being thoughtful about how food and beverages are served can support reducing waste and exposure to toxic chemicals, among other sustainability goals. As part of your planning, first assess whether reusables are available and practical for the application. If disposables are necessary, be sure to also check with your hauler/composter/facility ahead of time regarding what types of items they accept.

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Reusable Food Service Ware

When selecting food services ware (such as cups, plates, serving dishes, straws, utensils) and catering services, choosing reusables prevent waste and save money compared to disposables. When selecting the best type of reusable food service ware to invest in, take into account performance needs, heat tolerance (e.g., in microwaves or dishwashers), chemical tolerance (e.g., to dishwashing sanitizers), and durability. Updated Nov 2025

Sustainable Purchasing Guide for Meetings and Events

When holding an event (trainings, workshops, meetings, celebration, etc.) there are opportunities to reduce waste through purchasing decisions. This SPG highlights opportunities for supplies like paper products, food and beverages, and food service ware.