Purchase environmentally friendly products and minimize the lifecycle impacts of purchased materials.
- Follow with EPA's recommendations for environmentally preferable purchasing of products and services and comply with standards and guidelines where applicable. (Action items due: by 2016 - 50 percent; by 2020 - 100 percent)
- Monitor/track purchasing streams to establish accountability for environmental purchasing. (Action items due: 2013)
- Implement purchasing policies and requirements for commonly purchased goods and increase central supply items that meet environmentally preferred minimum standards. (Action items due: 2013)
- Purchase locally and regionally produced sustainable commodities. (Action items due: Ongoing)
- Purchase of commodities with little packaging, recyclable or biodegradable materials, non-toxic components and low embodied energy from manufacturing and transportation. (Action items due: Ongoing)
- Offer visitors environmentally responsible, choices and minimize disposable products such as plastic water bottles. (Action items due: 2013)
- Include sustainability requirements and environmental performance assessments in evaluation criteria for all contracts involving the purchase of products and/or services. (Action items due: 2016)
Ensure the most sustainable use of waste products.
- Divert municipal solid waste from landfills. (Action items due: by 2016 - 75 percent diversion; by 2020 - 90 percent diversion)
- Monitor/track diversion rates for recycling efforts. (Action items due: 2013)
- Collaborate with partners and local communities to ensure efficient, low impact collection, separation, transportation, and disposal/reuse of waste. (Action items due: 2014)
- Ensure end source markets for waste recycling and disposal are environmentally sound and respect human health and safety. (Action items due: 2016)
- Implement standards and strategies for recycling and reusing construction and demolition waste to divert building and infrastructure materials from landfills. (Action items due: by 2016 - 75 percent diversion; by 2020 - 90 percent diversion)
Educate employees and visitors on the importance of purchasing and waste reduction, to inspire them to buy green and reduce waste in Yellowstone and at home.
- Educate staff on standards and policies for environmental purchasing and waste reduction (Action items due: Ongoing)
- Provide consistent information on Yellowstone's environmental purchasing and waste reduction efforts to employees and visitors (Action items due: 2013)
- Inform visitors of the environmental impacts of their purchases and opportunities to minimize waste associated with their visit (Action items due: 2016)