Alameda County Resources
- StopWaste offers technical assistance to Alameda County public agencies for purchasing environmentally preferable products. The website contains resources such as additional fact sheets, guides and links to other helpful environmental purchasing websites and documents.
- “RecycleWhere?” is an online search tool for Alameda County which helps you determine how and where to recycle any type of recyclable item.
- Alameda County and the General Services Agency are committed to sharing their resources and experiences to promote green purchasing in public agencies. Policies, success stories, bids, specifications and other resources are available online.
National Organizations
- Conservatree: A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing technical assistance and the most up-to-date, in-depth information about environmentally sound papers and market developments. Includes listings of all the environmental papers available in the U.S. with lists specialized for large-quantity purchasers or individuals and small-quantity purchasers.
- The Paper Steps : Sponsored by the Environmental Paper Network and developed and maintained by Canopy (Canada), the Paper Steps help paper buyers compare papers with different environmental attributes to choose the most sustainable options. Includes a listing of papers meeting the top environmental steps.
- US EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG): The CPG program is part of EPA’s effort to promote the use of recycled products to federal agencies and other organizations. Product fact sheets on this website give suggested minimums for the amount of recycled content in different types of products.
Documents & Reports
Conservatree (www.conservatree.org)
- Recycled Paper: The Best Choice – This brochure from 2000 still gives a good overview of recycled paper myths and facts.
- Listening Study: Recycled Paper Use In Office Machines – Investigations of common concerns about using recycled paper.
Environmental Paper Network (www.environmentalpaper.org)
- Paper To Protect the Planet – Understanding how recycled content in printing and writing paper – and all grades – reduces energy, water, chemical use, pollution and solid waste, while protecting forests.
- The State of the Paper Industry: Monitoring the Indicators of Environmental Performance – In-depth information on recycled content, forest issues, clean production, and more. First published in 2007, updated in 2011.
- Paperwork: Comparing Recycled to Virgin Paper, Susan Kinsella, Conservatree and the Environmental Paper Network - In-depth discussion with Q&A.