KEY POINTS:
The Government is using its buying power to force companies to go green.
New rules announced today mean taxpayer money will have to be spent on goods and services which benefit the environment - driving the business world to make sure it is offering eco-friendly options.
Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel said the Government wanted to use its purchasing power to drive the market.
"As well as the obvious environmental spin-offs, New Zealand businesses that provide sustainable goods and services will stand to benefit," she said.
"This initiative will deliver the mind-set change and ongoing momentum required to ensure New Zealand's future prosperity and business competitiveness while meeting the challenges of climate change."
The move follows initiatives in other parts of the world.
In France, the Rugby World Cup starting next week will feature solar panels on stadium roofs, recycled pitch-watering systems.
And in Australia, even the Big Brother house went green earlier this year, collecting all its own water and using furniture and decking made from recycled materials.
The guidelines and targets for Government departments here aim to ensure they purchase goods and services - from paper to travel - that are more water and energy efficient, emit less carbon, produce less waste, and are accredited or environmentally certified.
Examples include:
* all paper bought by government departments must have lower environmental impacts than standard paper
* only legally produced paper and wood products can be bought
* all departments must have a workplace travel plan in place by the end of 2010 to reduce kilometres travelled by 15 per cent (provided that departmental performance is not reduced)
* departments must only consider purchasing, hiring, or leasing vehicles that have a low emissions standard (Euro 4 or equivalent)
* energy-efficient lamps should be bought instead of standard lightbulbs
* video conferencing and electronic communications should be encouraged.
The new standards, guidelines and targets are part of the Government's sustainable procurement project.
They bring together recommendations by Govt3 - a programme that helps central government agencies become more sustainable - as well as other existing procurement policy.
Further standards and targets for other product categories such as textiles, ICT, cleaning products and buildings would be announced later this year.
- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF, AAP, REUTERS
