Green Purchasing Basics                                     Bioware

       Fair Trade                                             Green Cleaning

                               
                              Recycled/Reused Products
                      

The Basics

To determine whether an item is green or not, we must consider three quesions. First, does the product help prevent pollution?  This includes reducing toxicity, water, and air emissions as well as avoiding the creation of waste from the start. Second, does the product have a long life-cycle?  This includes considering the costs and environmental impact over the lifetime of a product or service.  Third, does the product contain recycled materials?

back to top

Bioware

If you've been dining on campus, you may have noticed that the service ware at Baker and Cafe Bibliotech seems different than your usual disposables. This is because the service ware is biodegradable.

The plates, and bowls are made of 100% biodegradable, compostable sugar cane fiber that is a waste product of the sugar refining process. The cutlery is made from potato and other natural plant starches. All of these items are purchased from Stalk Market.

The "To-Go" containers are made from a biologically based polymer called NatureWorks PLA (polylactic acid), which is derived from corn or other plants. The containers are made by Wilkinson Industries.

All of the bioware will be composted in the 2-ton invessel composting system on the Ridges.

back to top

Fair Trade

When one chooses to purchase Fair Trade, one chooses wholesalers, retailers and producers who are fully committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide. The Fair Trade Organization formed to raise awareness on campus and encourage Ohio University to purchase more Fair Trade products.

Café Bibliotech

Café Bibliotech serves fair trade hot and cold teas which are provided by local Athens business, Herbal Sage Tea Company. Coffee is supplied by, The Roasterie, which is a "Fair Trade Certified" company by TransFair USA. This means that The Roasterie's coffee is made with "the greatest respect and compensation for the farmers of the countries of origin." The Rosterie provides additional support and compensation for their coffee bean providers through the St. Drogo Foundation.In addition, the café serves, Sumatra Shade Grown Organic Blend (Dark Roast), OU Organic Blend (Medium Roast), Blue Sky Organic Swiss Water Decaf and Organic Expresso Blend. They are constantly making efforts to further their support for organic products and fair trade certified vendors, particularly by buying products locally to support the Athens Community. They are currently working with Kerr Distributing Company to introduce a new Tradewinds© Organic line of bottled teas. Café Bibliotech is dedicated to improving the condition of our environment.

Contact:
Shayna Epstein
Cafe BiblioTech Coordinator
se343903@ohio.edu
740-593-2659

back to top

Recycled/Reused Products

Trees inevitably need to be cut down around the campus because they have either died or a new building, such as the new student center, is going to be built where they stand. When this happens, Printing and Graphics Services requests the cut-down tress to be brought to a designated lumber mill. There, the trees will be skinned and turned into fine-quality boards and kiln dried. Then, Printing and Graphic Services stores the boards in a purchased tractor trailer until they can be shipped to craftsmen and made into fine quality gifts such as blanket chests, clocks, or wooden boxes with custom engravings. These gifts, made out of recycled tree product, can be given in honor of retirements or special occasions around the university and these can also be purchased by anyone for gifts.

Printing and Graphics Services also purchases printing paper made of 10-20% post consumer waste.

Contact:
Dave Kasler
phone: (740) 593-1930
printing@ohiou.edu

back to top

Green Cleaning

Steve Mack, Ohio University’s Building and Grounds Services Director, wanted to green the cleaning supplies that Ohio U uses.

Mack converted the majority of Ohio U’s cleaning products to a new green seal certified line, called Envirox.  Envirox has a cleaning product called H2Orange2 that is less toxic than previously used cleaners.  This multi-purpose cleaner contains biodegradable surfactant, orange oil and hydrogen peroxide.  The best thing, Mack says, is that they can use this product in two different dilutions.  One lower dilution ratio is used as a general purpose cleaner in all restrooms and as a daily mopping solution for all floors.  The higher dilution ratio is used as a sanitizer/disinfectant and as an effective carpet cleaner. 

Using H2Orange2 saves Mack and his custodial crew from using and learning about 15-18 different cleaning chemicals.  Ohio U has also reduced the amount of packaging materials, energy, and landfill space by switching over to one concentrated product.  Using this new product simplifies Ohio U’s chemical purchasing.  It also allows Mack to shop and compare because he is only assessing a few forms of a product instead of multiple forms. 

Green seal products are also safer for the employees.  H2Orange2 has a health rating of 0 and requires no personal protection equipment when used.  Using these low-toxicity products severely cuts down on the instances of employee reaction to chemical. 

Mack foresees using less and less specialty cleaners with toxic chemicals.  He is waiting for a green seal product that can remove hard water stains and graffiti.  He doesn’t think it will be long. 

Mack’s valuable, proactive work in green purchasing for Ohio University allows him to be ahead of the game and in the driver’s seat, just where he prefers to be, he says.

Contact:
Steve Mack
phone: (740)593-2929
macks@ohio.edu

back to top