Introduction:
Environmentally preferred purchasing (EPP) means practicing pollution prevention when making new purchases. Several EPP strategies are:

• buying only what you intend to use

• buying in bulk

• avoiding extensive packaging

• buying locally

• buying least hazardous products (cleaners, paints, etc.)

• looking for products with high post consumer recycled content!

• buying remanufactured and factory reconditioned

Why buy recycled? Saves natural resources: products from recycled materials reduce the strain on extraction and refinement of virgin materials. Saves energy: usually less energy is needed to manufacture recycled products; recycling aluminum into usable stock requires 95% less energy than making new aluminum from bauxite ore. Saves clean air and water: less refinement of materials also means, in most cases, that less air and water pollution is created. Saves landfill space: materials that go back into new products are diverted from landfills. Saves money and creates jobs: recycling processes creates far more jobs than landfills or incinerators.