The University of Pittsburgh is committed to promoting sustainable purchasing practices on campus. learn more below about how to include sustainability and diversity into your decisions about purchasing, swag, paper, and printing.

Pitt Surplus

One of the best ways to be more sustainable is to reuse or repurpose items when possible, including furniture, office supplies, and more.  Pitt Surplus Property repurposes items from across campus, both through resale and collection.  Surplus accepts office and classroom furniture, equipment, electronics, and more.  Anyone at Pitt and the public can purchase items from Surplus Property.  If you have office or laboratory items you no longer need, surplus picks up and delivers items across campus by request.

Clean & Swap

Clean & Swap is an annual event when Pitt offices & laboratories can clear out their unwanted office items and “shop” among the items for free! All donated items find new homes with other Pitt departments and local nonprofits — or they’re properly recycled thanks to Pitt Surplus.

Purchasing

When gently used items are not an option, seek out products with third-party sustainability certifications that verify efficiency, material content, sourcing, and more.  Examples of product certifications to look for include:

• Energy Star (electronics, appliances, and more)
• EPEAT (electronics)
• Fair Trade (food, retail items, and more)
• Forest Stewardship Council (wood products & paper)
• Green Seal (cleaning products)
• Office supplies – Look for “Greener Office” or “Eco, Eco-consious” label from SUPRA / Office Depot
• Paper – Look for recycled content and/or carbon neutral paper (Tree Free, formerly known as Tree Zero).

Pitt’s contracted suppliers and purchasing processes are set up to help you choose more sustainable items from more diverse companies while getting the best price and adhering with the University’s financial requirements.

• PantherExpress – Provides for paperless purchasing of sustainable products from University-wide contracted suppliers. Many suppliers have a “punch out” or hosted catalog that allow for sorting by sustainable, “green,” or ecofriendly product categories. Departments will obviously compare product first cost, but quality, life cycle costs, and sustainability are also important!
• Suppliers – Ask suppliers about their sustainable practices.
• Buy Local – Prioritize local procurement to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.

Did you know that Pitt Purchasing can make sustainable supplier suggestions and/or do a sustainable purchasing presentation for your department?  Contact Jennifer Barnes, Diversity & Sustainability Coordinator in Purchasing Services!

Printing

• There are lots of digital tools that help you avoid printing altogether.
• When you do have to print, check out Tree Free paper, which is carbon neutral because it’s made from sugarcane waste.
• If that’s not available, try recycled content, which also helps reduce our carbon footprint.
• Shifting to Pitt’s Managed Print service can also help reduce energy usage from multiple printing devices in your office or department.
• If you’re printing a big job, as for carbon neutral, recycled content, or FSC certified paper!

For more information, check out Pitt Purchasing’s Sustainability information, which provides options and considerations by product type.

Swag

When thinking about purchasing something to use as a give away or promotional item think about that items usefulness. Will it just end up in the trash? Try considering these options:

• Giving away experiences or electronic gift certificates
• If purchasing a T-shirt, make it a sustainably and/or ethically sourced shirt instead of the cheapest “fast fashion” option
• Give away something that promotes sustainable practices or reduces waste:
  • Reusable lunch set
  • Reusable bag
  • Reusable travel mug or water bottle
  • Fair trade chocolate or coffee

Make your coffee break sustainable
by sourcing responsibly, composting grounds, responsible K-cup diversion, and/or BYO[Cup].

Learn more about sustainable coffee choices

University Stores

Did you know you can search for “Sustainable Picks at The University Store on Fifth, The Pitt Shop, and Maggie & Stella’s ? For a product to be considered, it must one or more verifiable criteria below (and learn more):

• Locally Owned and Manufactured
• Made of Sustainable Materials
• Climate Neutral Certified
• Supports Zero Waste and Reusable Habits
• Fair Trade
• End of Use Recycling Program from Manufacturer
• Diverse Ownership

Diversity

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to fostering a diverse supplier base, helping ensure that businesses of diverse backgrounds and ownership have the opportunity to become valued suppliers as a means of improving the general economic well-being of the community and functioning of our local and national economies.  Pitt defines diverse suppliers as diverse, minority, and women-owned enterprises.

Did you know that every University Responsibility Center has its own diverse purchasing goals!   Learn more and find a list of diverse Pitt suppliers here.

Follow along with Pitt’sefforts to work with more diverse businesses on our Vendor Diversity Dashboard!