Sustainable Purchasing

Help us reduce our off-campus impact by choosing environmentally- and socially-conscious products and services.

Sustainable Purchasing Checklist

• Office staff seek out pre-owned furniture and appliances rather than buying new.
• Office staff are aware of/make use of the UWinnipeg Surplus Furniture Inventory (contact l.garland@uwinnipeg.ca) and the Used Office Supply Depot (contact sustainability@uwinnipeg.ca).
• Office staff purchase environmentally preferable office supplies.
• Office staff use UWinnipeg’s printing services, and when they must outsource they ensure that the company uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper and recycles their ink cartridges.
• Our office uses socially/environmentally conscious services and products at our events.
• Office staff choose establishments that source local, ethical, and organic food whenever possible, such as Diversity Food Services.
• Our office purchases Fair Trade or Free Trade coffee and other food and beverages as possible.
• Our office purchases phosphate-free soap.
• Our office consolidates purchasing orders and grocery trips to once every two weeks (or less) to save fuel and minimize packaging.

Additional Resources

The University’s Green Procurement Policy guides purchasing decisions made across campus.

Did you know that our campus food service, Diversity Foods, was ranked as the most sustainable food service in North America by the Sierra Club? Read more here.  

Not sure if a product is "sustainable?" Look for these logos.