#WorldEnvironmentDay: What is San Francisco’s green procurement policy?

As the world gears up to celebrate?World Environment Day???, the city of San Francisco stands proudly as a pioneer in the realm of?green procurement. With its unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, the city has emerged as a shining example of how government agencies can lead the way in reducing their carbon footprint and promoting eco-friendly practices.? In this blog post, we will share what?green procurement?is, and how San Francisco is making relevant strides to advance its?green procurement policy.

In 1972, the United Nations established June 5th as ?World Environment Day, a global platform to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues and inspire collective action towards a sustainable future, engaging governments, organizations, communities, and individuals worldwide to reflect on the state of our planet and take concrete steps towards its conservation.?

The theme for?World Environment Day?changes annually, shedding light on specific environmental concerns and encouraging focused efforts to address them. This year’s theme focuses on solutions to plastic pollution through the campaign?#BeatPlasticPollution. The purpose is to create awareness that 400 billion tonnes of plastic is produced every year but half of it is designed to be used only once.

This day provides a unique opportunity to spotlight the importance of?green procurement?as a powerful tool for environmental conservation.?Green procurement, also known as sustainable procurement, green purchasing or eco-procurement, focuses on incorporating environmental considerations into the purchasing process, ensuring that goods and services are sourced in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on the environment. By prioritizing sustainable materials, energy-efficient products, and environmentally friendly production methods,?green procurement?aims to reduce resource consumption, mitigate pollution, and promote the transition towards a more circular and sustainable economy.

San Francisco's visionary approach to procurement not only prioritizes cost-effectiveness but also places immense emphasis on the long-term well-being of the planet. From renewable energy sources to sustainable materials, the city's procurement initiatives are revolutionizing the way government agencies acquire goods and services. The Environment Department aims to allocate a minimum of 90% of its purchasing budget towards compliant products in the specified product areas, considering that “green products are less toxic, more energy efficient, more recyclable and/or compostable, have higher levels of recycled content, and have less impact on climate change than comparable alternative products.”?

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