East Hampton Town’s senior purchasing agent recommended to the town board on Tuesday that the town become a Green Purchasing Community, a New York State program that confers buying guidance through state-approved specifications. The move would also earn the town certification points in the state’s Climate Smart Communities program.
Jeanne Carroza asked the board to modify the wording of its current purchasing policy at its Jan. 2 organizational meeting, after which she would submit an application to the state. The program commits the town to follow “green” procurement specifications to the maximum extent practical, where cost is reasonably competitive. Any local government with a formal purchasing policy can participate in the program.
“Sometimes, green purchasing, in the beginning, is higher,” Ms. Carroza said — items such as recycled paper can cost more — “but the long-term effects are very beneficial to the environment and energy costs, etc.”
“Given our climate declaration and policies around green energy, this is a logical next step for us to review our purchasing and, where possible, to be able to use products that are in greater alignment with that policy,” Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said. In 2021, the town board declared a climate emergency, committing it to make climate mitigation and the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions a guiding principle and objective of all municipal operations, including purchasing.
Ms. Carroza also proposed a town-sponsored “shredding day,” during which a paper-shredding company would shred documents and other paper for residents, likening it to S.T.O.P. Days, when pollutants and other toxic compounds are safely disposed of.
