Many school districts pool their purchasing through buying networks. Recently, "green" suppliers have found that cooperative efforts can help them offer advantages to purchasers. Local purchasing networks help school systems reduce product transportation and energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gases.


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The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) is a network of 15,000 local business partners and entrepreneurs from all over the United States who have joined together in 55 (and growing!) local networks to supply the emerging green economy. BALLE's missions is to catalyze, strengthen, and connect networks of locally-owned independent businesses. Their ultimate goal is a global economy made up of linked local economies, comprised of businesses that are local, green, and fair.

U. S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance is a national purchasing forum that pools the collective purchasing power of 87,000 local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education institutions and non-profit organizations. Their "Green Initiative" is designed to provide a one-stop source for public agency access to a broad line of environmentally-certified products and services.