Green Fatigue

Good observations, Carl.
But We love shorthand labels and green is so much shorter than sustainable or eco-friendly or ISO-certified, etc. So I think it will stay around. But the real business point is that innovations (especially high tech) start out as stand alone products and services, and soon get rolled into 'conventional', newer generations of standard products. The same will happen with green and energy efficient and water smart, etc. They are now stand alone products with high differentiation, but soon ALL the competitors will have the standards incorporated and then we'll expect the new standards. But the concept of ever-evolving high-performance to cope with our gigantic environmental challenges will probably go on for about 30 more years. Many timelines are pushing legislated compliance standards out over that period of time. Don't burn out yet...we still have a few decades ahead of us :-) Carolyn, SolutionsForGreen and CaliforniaGreenSolutions

California's Integrated Waste Management Board helps businesses list their recycled content products. 

Businesses need to certify in writing to the contracting officer or his or her representative the minimum percentage, if not exact percentage, of postconsumer material in the products, materials, goods, or supplies offered or sold to the state regardless of whether the product meets the minimum content requirements specified in law (see back for minimum content requirements).

The certification shall be furnished under penalty of perjury. The certification shall be provided regardless of content, even if the product contains no recycled material.

A state agency may waive the certification requirement if the percentage of postconsumer material in the products, materials, goods, or supplies can be verified in a written advertisement, including, but not limited to, a product label, a catalog, or a manufacturer or vendor internet web site.

Businesses must certify that these environmental claims for recycled content regarding specific products are consistent with the Federal Trade Commission's Environmental Marketing Guidelines in accordance with PCC 12404.

Postconsumer material comes from products that were bought by consumers, used, then recycled. For example: a newspaper that has been purchased and read, next recycled, and then used to make another product would be postconsumer material.

If the product does not fit into any of the product categories, enter "N/A." Common N/A products include wood products, natural textiles, aggregate, concrete, electronics such as computers, TV, software on a disk or CD, telephone

Product category refers to one of the product categories listed below, into which the reportable purchase falls. For products made from multiple materials, choose the category that comprises most of the product by weight, or volume.

For reuse or refurbished products, there is no minimum content requirements

Product Categories  and their minimum content requirement  

1 Paper Products - Recycled 30 percent postconsumer fiber, by fiber weight

2 Printing and Writing - Recycled 30 percent postconsumer fiber, by fiber weight
 
3 Compost, Co-compost, and Mulch - Recycled 80 percent recovered materials. i.e., material that would otherwise be normally disposed of in a landfill  
 
4 Glass - Recycled 10 percent postconsumer, by weight

5 Rerefined Lubricating Oil - Recycled 70 percent re-refined base oil

6a Plastic - Recycled 10 percent postconsumer, by weight

6b Printer or duplication cartridges a. Have 10 percent postconsumer material, or
b. Are purchased as remanufactured, or 
c. Are backed by a vendor-offered program that will take back the printer cartridges after their useful life and ensure that the cartridges are recycled and comply with the definition of recycled as set forth in Section 12156 of the Public Contract Code.  

7 Paint - Recycled 50 percent postconsumer paint (exceptions when 50 % postconsumer content is not available or is restricted by a local air quality management district, then 10% postconsumer content may be substituted)

8 Antifreeze - Recycled 70 percent postconsumer material

9 Retreated Tires - Recycled Use existing casing that has undergone retreading or recapping
process in accordance with Public Resource Code (commencing with section 42400). 

10 Tire- Derived - Recycled 50 percent postconsumer tires

11 Metals - Recycled 10 percent postconsumer, by weight

For additional information visit www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BuyRecycled/

Find the registration forms at chps's website