Can Higher Ed Lead Institutional Green Procurement into a New Era?

Sustainable procurement work has never been more exciting. New data, science and processes are coming together with years of on-the-ground experience to create a new paradigm. A higher education pilot project is laying the groundwork for a sustainable procurement leadership recognition program, modeled on the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system. If that program comes to fruition, it could radically accelerate the adoption and effectiveness of sustainable procurement in sectors far beyond higher education.
This article originally appeared in the September Issue of College Planning & Management magazine. AASHE is currently soliciting institutions interesting in participating in the pilot project described in this article. Please contact purchasing@aashe.org for further details.
In the early days of the “green” purchasing movement, institutional procurement professionals only had to focus on a few product attributes, such as recycled content, or on a few eco-labels, such as FSC certified wood. In fact, of the more than 400 eco-labels tracked by Ecolabel Index today, only 25 pre-date 1996. Those simple days are long gone. In addition to navigating the explosion in eco-labels, buyers are now expected to take into account the impact of products throughout their whole life cycle. What are the waste, water and air pollution impacts during manufacture? What about during their use? And what happens at the end of their useful life? Taking all these impacts into account requires matching them up with credible eco-labels or standards that certify those impacts have been mitigated to a specified degree. It also requires having a plan for the reuse, recycling or safe disposal of the product at the time of purchase. View more...