With sustainability an increasing priority across all sectors UNLV has developed a Green Purchasing Program as they continue to be a leader in the field. The Purchasing and Contracts department is leading the way by leveraging existing vendor partnerships and raising awareness with all our suppliers and customers on the need to be green. Executing a plan to ensure a high impact and cost effective green purchasing program designed to conserve resources and to minimize the adverse environmental impact of our product and service usage. Thus supporting UNLV’s commitment to the community and the environment as they recognize their potential impact as a major purchaser of goods and services. The Purchasing staff at UNLV have identified products which will help you become more environmentally sound and are continually updating their page with recommendations. 

The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (EPP) allows UNLV to:

• Strengthen recycling efforts campuswide
• Reinforce the importance with our vendors to provide green purchasing solutions
• Create a model that will encourage other vendors to broaden their product and service offerings to include environmentally friendly products
• Reduce the amount of landfill material being produced
• Partner with vendors who have invested in environmentally friendly product and service lines and reward them by purchasing their products and services
• Support local vendors who meet the preferred purchasing program’s requirements
• Give visibility to sustainable purchasing practices that can be used as a guide to other NSHE institutions as well as higher education institutions everywhere
• Reduce pollution by taking into account emissions over the full life cycle of a product or service
• Strengthen markets for recycled materials and increase economic development for manufacturers producing source reduction and recyclable product.

There is more information about UNLV’s long and short-term goals in implementing the EPP. 

UNLV welcome suggestions and ideas that will build a more robust and responsive green purchasing program. Please contact the purchasing office at purchasingunlv@unlv.edu to share your comments.