Procurement Policy for the UUCE

Approved by the Board of Trustees April 16, 2003

As a Green Sanctuary congregation, we will strive to increase our awareness of the "cradle to grave" impact of the goods and services we purchase, considering these aspects: the raw materials, manufacturing, pollution, transportation, packaging, recycling, reuse and/or repair-ability of product, ultimate disposability, labor, and political economy.  We will strive to keep in mind that the dollars we spend are our votes for the goods and services we buy.  We will try to vote thoughtfully and effectively by buying environmentally sound goods and services, and not buying, ie., boycotting, less sound ones.  We will consciously model sustainable living as we practice our UU principles.

Therefore, when procuring goods and services for church use, these guidelines will be considered:
- Before buying any good or service, consider whether the purchase is indeed necessary (the greenest buying is not buying at all).  Consider repairing an existing item before replacing it with a new one.
- If it is determined that a purchase must be made, then consider procuring a used item.
- If a needed item cannot be found used, then the greenest version that works satisfactorily will be purchased. (The Green Seal organization is a resource for purchasing - www.greenseal.org) 
- If recycled alternatives are available, judged to be satisfactory and cost within ten percent of equivalent non-recycled product, they will be preferred for purchase over products made from virgin materials.
- If locally produced food products are available, judged to be satisfactory and cost within 10% of nonlocal products, the former will be preferred for purchase.
- A list of suggested resources for routinely purchased items is available.

Reusables Policy for the UUCE

Approved by the Board of Trustees April 16, 2003
We, as a church community, strive to follow our UU principles and live in a more sustainable manner, consciously lightening our footprint on the Earth and setting an example for others to follow. We believe that single use items, the so-called 'disposables', buy a small measure of short term convenience at the cost of tremendously increased use of raw materials, energy, increased pollution and toxics, and vastly increased waste disposal. Unlike many environmental problems, the solution here is simple.
We will strive to use the following reusable items rather than single use/disposable items at church activities:

• dishes
• bowls
  
• mugs
  
• drinkware
  
• silverware
  
• pitchers
  
• serving bowls
  
• storage containers
  
• ovenware
  
• baking pans
  
• casserole dishes
  
• cloth tablecloths
  
• sponges
  
• cloth dishtowels
  
• cloth rags

We will strive to avoid using the following items: disposable cups, plates, bowls, forks, knives, and spoons made of plastic, polystyrene, and paper; plastic wrap and bags, non-recycled paper napkins and paper towels (produced from live trees), aluminum foil, and foil pans.

*Select recycled paper products which are identified as having a high percentage of post consumer waste content, as this provides a market for paper recycling programs. 

SOME RESOURCES FOR GREEN PURCHASING
Harmony/Gaiam, Inc. (www.gaiam.com, 800-869-3446): 
Nontoxic cleaning products for dishes, floors, carpets, sinks, glass and toilets
Household recycled paper products:  napkins, towels, toilet tissue, facial tissue
Recycled plastic garbage bags, compact fluorescent light bulbs, many other products made of recycled materials

“Earth Friendly Products” (available at local retailers): 
    Nontoxic cleaning products, including dish liquid

Local retailers (eg, Jewel and Eagle) sell store brand 100% recycled paper products:
    Paper towels, napkins, facial and toilet tissue

High post-consumer content recycled office paper products can be obtained from:
- Staples (www.staples.com, 800-3STAPLE) 
- Vanguard Tree Free Recycled Paper (90% post-consumer/10% hemp) $7.69/500
- Eureka Recycled Paper (50% post-consumer waste) $5.49/500 Dolphin Blue (www.dolphinblue.com)
- New Life Recycled Paper (80% post-consumer waste) $12.74/500 w/shipping Green Line Paper Co.         (www.greenlinepaper.com)
- New Life Recycled Paper (60% post-consumer waste) $39.95/5,000 sheets