FT. COLLINS, CO – The city of Fort Collins was already a step ahead when a new state law went into effect Friday requiring all government agencies to buy green products or services when possible, according to the Web site www.coloradoan.com.

House Bill 1220 requires governmental entities in Colorado to purchase “environ-mentally preferable’’ products or services when certain conditions are met.

The purchasing preference applies to products and services that have a reduced effect on human health and the environment than comparable competing products.

In an effort to go green and conserve energy, Fort Collins recently purchased 17 E-85 capable vehicles adding to the 25 it already had in service. Fort Collins also began using the first of three city-owned ethanol pumps two weeks ago, utilizing a grant from the Governor’s Energy Office that paid for half of the $25,000 price tag.

E-85 is a fuel blended with 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, which the city can purchase at 40 cents less per gallon than regular unleaded gasoline, according to www.coloradoan.com.

Since January, all of the city’s 48 buses began using biodiesel fuel — up from 25 percent in 2006. The city also uses eight hybrid vehicles with an order for three more pending. The 93 alternative-fuel vehicles in use make up about nine percent of the 827 vehicles in the city’s fleet.