Purchase Office Supplies

Larimer County encourages the procurement and use of environmentally preferable products, which means they have a reduced negative effect on human health and the environment compared to competing products. Larimer County encourages the purchase of these products where availability, quality, and budget constraints allow.

As part of our Internal Climate Action, Resilience, and Education (ICARE) plan, Larimer County is committed to demonstrating leadership on environmental sustainability and optimizing decisions that illustrate how our internal operations and programs conserve our unique way of life.

The County’s guiding principles empower you, the purchaser, to take responsibility in being a good steward of public resources, adapting, and committing to continuous improvement. 

 

  Expand All   Collapse All

Section XVI of the Purchasing Policy lists guidelines to consider when assessing the community benefit and natural resource impacts of goods or services. What should you be looking for when trying to buy more sustainable products?

  • Purchase paper products with as much recycled content as possible. For more information, visit the EPA paper guidelines.
  • For purchases $150,000 or less, departments may use their discretion in deciding if the written quote should be awarded to the Larimer County vendor in cases where the Larimer County vendor is within 5% of the low vendor.
  • Buy refillable dispensers versus portion-control packaging.
  • Attempt to source items that are reusable, energy-efficient, water-conserving, rechargeable, recyclable or more durable.
  • Energy-star specifications should be used whenever possible for electronic equipment such as appliances and computers.
  • Try to limit packaging material, toxic content or chemical hazard potential, and consider if the item can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
  • Use pitchers and glasses for serving tap water at meetings and events. Avoid bottled water wherever possible.
  • Borrow or rent items you use infrequently.
  • Look for ecolabels: ecolabels help purchasers identify and procure environmentally friendly products and services. They are third party certifications covering around 30 purchase categories. For examples, browse this EPA page.

The County is making choosing sustainable products simpler by highlighting Climate Pledge Friendly options at the top of the page when you search for a product on Amazon.  Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program recognizes products with improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability, and those that meet environmental certifications that Amazon recognizes.

Circled in red below is the icon you are encouraged to look for when making decisions on purchasing products. There will still be the option to scroll past the certified products and see alternatives. 

The County is making choosing sustainable products simpler by allowing Office Depot to highlight what they deem to be a more sustainable alternative option (if available) for the item you wish to purchase.  The GreenerOffice program recognizes products with improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability, and those that meet environmental certifications that Office Depot recognizes. 

How it works: Shop at odpbusiness.com the way you always do. If a greener option is available for an item placed in your cart, it will present an option to view the alternatives. 

To select the greener alternative, users will need to check the box next to "choose this item" and then click on the blue "replace checked items" button. The greener alternative item will now show up in the cart.