Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) invokes the practice of buying products with environmentally-sound qualities—reduced packaging, reusability, energy efficiency, recycled content and rebuilt or re-manufactured products. It was first addressed officially with Executive Order (EO) 12873 in October 1993, "Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste Prevention," but was further enhanced in September 14, 1998, in by EO 13101 also signed by President Clinton. Entitled, "Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition," it superseded EO 12873, but retained similar directives for purchasing. The "Final Guidance" of directives was issued through the Environmental Protection Agency in 1995.

What the federal government would adopt as a guideline for its purchases also would mark the beginning of environmentally preferable purchasing for the private sector, and create an entirely new direction for individuals and businesses as well as governments. At the federal level, the EPA's "Final Guidance" was issued to apply to all acquisitions, from...