Green products and services provide intrinsic benefits for the university. Examples include products that are reusable, energy efficient (or have greater efficiencies than industry standards), made with post-consumer materials, have reduced toxicity properties, manufactured with minimal environmental impact, and are delivered in eco-responsible packaging or containers. Green products are no longer limited to recycled paper or remanufactured toner cartridges. Examples of the types of green products that university suppliers provide are:

• Laboratory chemicals that can be easily disposed of without harming the environment
• Cleaning supplies with less harsh and safer formulas
• Wide variety of items made from 100% post consumer materials or recycled products
• Unique items made from replenishable natural resources such as corn and soy
• Energy efficient laboratory equipment such as safety cabinets

University suppliers provide many different types of unique green services. Examples include:

• Disposing used materials (i.e., carpeting and catalogs) in recycling centers
• Replacing mercury thermometers with one with less hazardous materials
• Investing in reusable shipping containers and eco-friendly packaging materials
• Managing a program for collecting and recycling pipette boxes and inserts for U-M labs
• Assisting departments and Procurement Services with sourcing and identifying green products

For a list of green products and services available through University Contracts, see the following links:

• Green catalogs listed by supplier
• Green catalogs listed by product