Guide for Small Businesses & Homes

This page provides green purchasing tools for residences and small businesses, including SF Green Businesses. Green purchasing, also known as environmentally preferable purchasing, aims to identify products with lesser impact on human health and the environment compared to conventional products.

To find products and services that have been reviewed and tested by San Francisco's Department of Environment (SF Environment), filter products by "consumer" when searching for products for your small business or home.

SF Environment has categorized products and services on this website as "Required," "Suggested," "Limited Use" or "Prohibited."

Choose:

Required green products. These products meet City requirements for environmental and health impact, performance and cost. And, city staff are required to buy these products.

Consider:

Suggested green products. These products meet City requirements for environmental and health impact, but performance and cost data may be incomplete.

Avoid:

Limited use products These products are recommended for use only in special circumstances.

Never Choose:

Prohibited products. These products are not recommended to use.

Whenever possible, choose "Required products" that San Francisco city purchasers use and follow the guidelines below:

  1. Take steps to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals.
  2. Implement safer practices.
  3. Patronize San Francisco Green Businesses that meet high environmental standards or become recognized by the City as a San Francisco Green Business.