Definitions of Terms
Glossary of Terms
Departments
refers to entities which are under Agencies that are under the direction of a secretary that report directly to the Governor or Department’s that report directly to the Governor.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
focuses on the human health and environmental impact of goods and services purchased by selecting products that are more environmentally preferable to others. “Green” commodities offer greater environmental benefits than their competing counterparts.
EPP commodities
goods and services purchased that are more environmentally preferable to others. Also referred to as “green” commodities.
EPP spend
refers to the funds spent by California agencies or departments that procured commodities that are considered EPP or “green”.
Executive Order B-18-12
Ordered that State agencies, departments, and other entities under the Governor’s executive authority (State agencies) take actions to reduce entity-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% by 2015 and 20% by 2020, as measured against a 2010 baseline.
ORDERED that State agencies purchase and use environmentally preferable products that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing goods that serve the same purpose whenever they are applicable, perform well, and are cost-effective per Public Contract Code section 12400.
Accompanying the Executive Order was an implementation plan known as the Green Building Action Plan.
FI$Cal data
this refers to the data extracted from the FI$CAL system which met a set of EPP criteria.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases, such as: carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); and fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride.
Potential-to-Green spend
refers to the money spent by California agencies or departments that could have been used to procure commodities that are considered to be EPP or “green”.
Recycled content
is comprised of post-consumer material that is used as a raw material in the manufacture of products.
State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC)
is a joint effort between California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery and Department of General Services to implement State law requiring State agencies and the Legislature to purchase recycled-content products and track those purchases.
Sustainable
pertaining to a system that maintains its own viability by using techniques that allow for continual reuse.
Sustainable purchasing
is an effort to buy greener, healthier, and more sustainable products from greener, more sustainable companies.
Take-Back
electronics companies provide programs which offer to takeback their electronic products for recycling or remanufacturing options while ensuring proper management and final disposition.
Third-party environmental certifications
A third party certification is a voluntary label given to products by manufacturers that signifies that the product meets certain environmental standards.