Environmental Stewardship Regional Practices

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Since passing a resolution in July 2001, the Land-of-Sky Regional Council in western North Carolina has promoted environmentally preferable purchasing through its own office and with an educational campaign in its four-county region. This initiative was supported with funding from the state Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance.

As part of its policy, the council purchases paper products that are chlorine-free and/or contain at least 30 percent post-consumer content. Land-of-Sky Council is willing to pay slightly more for environmentally preferable materials than for products using virgin materials. A five-percent price preference policy has been authorized. The policy also includes purchasing recycled computer disks, re-manufactured toner cartridges, products that do not contain rainforest or tropical wood and energy efficient lighting and electronic equipment.

Ron Townley, Solid Waste/Brownfields Team Leader, explains, "The environmentally preferable purchasing policy tries to take into account more than just recycled content. It also looks at factors like manufacturing methodologies. For example, if you have a choice between recycled paper that is bleached and recycled paper that is unbleached, you should choose the unbleached paper."

Product performance was also evaluated. Staff members conducted informal tests, such as running recycled paper through printers and copiers, comparing the functionality and comfort of pens and pencils and evaluating recycled content manila and plain envelopes. From the tests, they concluded that recycled products were equal or superior in quality to products made from virgin materials.

Staff members developed outreach materials to educate local government planning departments, solid waste authorities and school districts on opportunities to work with their purchasing agents on buying recycled content and other environmentally conscious materials.

Overall, the purchasing policy matches the council's philosophy in conducting community planning and economic development work. Land-of-Sky Council administers a variety of environmental projects, like promoting water quality through storm water education and straight pipe elimination and clean air campaigns.

Land-of-Sky Regional Council 25 Heritage Dr Asheville, NC 28806 Tel: 828.251.6622 Fax: 828.251.6353 http://www.landofsky.org/