By now, most of us have heard that all U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Defense – down to every individual work center and administrative support offices – are supposed to buy “green” products.
But let’s take a step back to review for a moment what “buying green” means.
Some of you may not recall that President Bush signed Executive Order 13423 – Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management – into law on Jan. 24, 2007.
This law puts into effect many new goals and milestones for federal agencies to advance the nation’s energy security and environmental performance. It also requires purchasing environmentally-sound goods and services, including bio-based products.
This means, every time we purchase supplies or equipment, we must consider “green” products.
These are products having the following environmental benefits:
• Made with recycled content
• Made with bio-based products
• Energy and water efficient
• Alternative fuels or vehicles
• Renewable energy sources
• Sustainable building materials
• Lacking in ozone-depleting substances or priority-listed toxic chemicals
• Electronic product environmental assessment tool-registered electronic equipment
•Environmentally preferable
Users of the DOD EMALL, an Internet-based electronic mall, purchasing system, should have received training on using the green tree symbol to identify and locate “green” products. Other buyers of goods and services for the Army and local tenant agencies must consider the above characteristics for all purchases and contract activities.
Exceptions to buying “green” are only authorized when environmentally-preferred items are unreasonably expensive, not available within reasonable time frames or have proven not to be of serviceable quality for the intended purpose.
Another example exception might occur with a unit having an alternative fuel-capable vehicle assigned.
They wouldn’t be required to drive several miles out of their way to find an alternative fuel filling station that would defeat the benefits of using the alternative fuel.
However, in all cases where environmentally-preferred products are not used, a record should be maintained documenting why not; otherwise, this could result in a negative finding during environmental auditing.
So, let’s make a mental note: let’s make our purchases “green,” and not only for work.
Be sure to consider “green” alternatives for home and personal items as well.
(Don Doran is the environmental
protection specialist with the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s Directorate of Public Works.)
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News for the Ramstein, Kaiserslautern, Landstuhl & Baumholder military communities in Germany 
By now, most of us have heard that all U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Defense – down to every individual work center and administrative support offices – are supposed to buy “green” products.
But let’s take a step back to review for a moment what “buying green” means.
Some of you may not recall that President Bush signed Executive Order 13423 – Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management – into law on Jan. 24, 2007.
This law puts into effect many new goals and milestones for federal agencies to advance the nation’s energy security and environmental performance. It also requires purchasing environmentally-sound goods and services, including bio-based products.
This means, every time we purchase supplies or equipment, we must consider “green” products.
These are products having the following environmental benefits:
• Made with recycled content
• Made with bio-based products
• Energy and water efficient
• Alternative fuels or vehicles
• Renewable energy sources
• Sustainable building materials
• Lacking in ozone-depleting substances or priority-listed toxic chemicals
• Electronic product environmental assessment tool-registered electronic equipment
•Environmentally preferable
Users of the DOD EMALL, an Internet-based electronic mall, purchasing system, should have received training on using the green tree symbol to identify and locate “green” products. Other buyers of goods and services for the Army and local tenant agencies must consider the above characteristics for all purchases and contract activities.
Exceptions to buying “green” are only authorized when environmentally-preferred items are unreasonably expensive, not available within reasonable time frames or have proven not to be of serviceable quality for the intended purpose.
Another example exception might occur with a unit having an alternative fuel-capable vehicle assigned.
They wouldn’t be required to drive several miles out of their way to find an alternative fuel filling station that would defeat the benefits of using the alternative fuel.
However, in all cases where environmentally-preferred products are not used, a record should be maintained documenting why not; otherwise, this could result in a negative finding during environmental auditing.
So, let’s make a mental note: let’s make our purchases “green,” and not only for work.
Be sure to consider “green” alternatives for home and personal items as well.
(Don Doran is the environmental
protection specialist with the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s Directorate of Public Works.)