SF Environment’s San Francisco Green Purchasing Program helps over 80 departments within the City & County of San Francisco to be in compliance with the SF Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance by providing technical assistance and setting stringent criteria for safer, less-toxic “green” products & services. The SF Green Purchasing Program also works with the City Purchaser (Office of Contract Administration) to get better prices on approved products for the City.  The main tool for providing these services is the SF Approved Catalog, a list of products that are less toxic and more environmentally-friendly alternatives to common products.

All products in the SF Approved Catalog are rigorously reviewed and approved by SF Environment (SFE) staff.   The prior system for screening products and sharing the SF Approved Catalog with the intended audience(s) was cumbersome and not very user-friendly.

Earthsite worked with the SF Dept of the Environment to develop a product directory and product screening system to improve the City Toxic’s team’s efforts to support CCSF staff in making better purchasing decisions.