The city’s sustainability efforts received a nod of approval from the Environmental Protection Agency by garnering the city an EPA Green Electronics Champion Award for making computer purchases from manufacturers with Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) - registered products.

“The city is committed to buying green products and services to reduce the use of hazardous materials and waste as a part of our Pollution Prevention Program,” said Councilman Claude Mattox, District 5, and chair of the Land Use, Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee. “To continue the city's commitment to environmentally preferable purchasing, my colleagues and I passed a resolution to establish a new EPP policy.”

Following guidelines outlined by the Environmental Programs Office, the Information Technology and Finance departments facilitated the environmentally preferable computer purchase. The desktop computers, laptops and monitors purchased met EPEAT-Silver certification environmental standards.

Since July 2006, the city has purchased 3,253 computers and 247 notebooks. Through its purchases, the city has reduced energy use by 2,701,969 kWh – enough electricity to power 238 households annually, reduced greenhouse gases equivalent to removing 168 cars from the road per year, reduced 8.6 tons of hazardous waste, avoided 538 pounds of toxic materials and saved $234,261.

The city of Phoenix was recognized as a Green Electronics Champion along with the city of San Jose, Kaiser Permanente, California Integrated Waste Management and McKesson Corporation.

All EPEAT products must meet strict mandatory criteria for environmental performance. They are then identified as EPEAT-Bronze, EPEAT-Silver, or EPEAT-Gold depending on the number of optional environmental criteria incorporated in the product.

Launched in 2006, EPEAT is operated by the Green Electronics Council and provides an easy-to-use tool to help purchasers rank computer desktops, laptops and monitors based on their environmental attributes that include: reduction or elimination of environmentally sensitive materials; material selection; design for end-of-life; product longevity or extended life cycle; energy conservation; end-of-life management; corporate performance; and packaging.

The city of Phoenix is a champion of sustainability and supports environmental preservation through several initiatives, which encourage city staff to purchase green products that have a minimal effect on human health and the environment.

For more information about the city’s sustainability and environmental preservation initiatives, visit phoenix.gov/sustainability.