Is It Really Eco-friendly? New Website Tells Like It Is
After years of researching a variety of consumer products, the City of San Francisco has launched its SF Approved website, created for San Francisco city departments, but available to the public.
The website lists more than 1,000 products and services tested to meet strict health and environmental standards developed by Environment Department specialists.
The list was developed following the 2005 San Francisco Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance, the first in the nation, requiring all city department purchasers to adhere to an approved list of environmentally preferable products.
Research for the products was conducted by SF Environment, with data for more than 60,000 chemicals provided by Berkeley-based GoodGuide.
“Before SF Approved, I had to spend a lot of time researching green products,” said Mike Hanson of the city’s Real Estate Department. “SF Approved is my one-stop shop for where to buy green products. Plus, it’s the law for all city staff.”
The approved list includes products that meet San Francisco policies and regulations and SF Green Business standards, including paint and coatings, light bulbs, electronics, household cleaners, automotive fluids, batteries, pest management and furniture, among dozens of others.
“Our experience has taught us how critical it is to have an ongoing dialogue with the people actually using the products, and to base specifications on the best science available,” summarizes Chris Geiger, Green Purchasing Program Manager for the San Francisco Department of the Environment.
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