Economic vitality, local community, environmental responsibility
A local guide for making your business more sustainable.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is more than just a “green” word. It is the quality of life in a community: social, economic, and environmental. A sustainable community provides a healthy, balanced, meaningful life to its community members. This includes saving money, protecting the natural areas, and being active. Sustainability looks at the long-range impacts of each part of our daily life.
Business Energy Tax Credit
The Oregon Department of Energy's Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) Program may be available to businesses that invest in energy conservation, renewable energy resources and renewable energy resource equipment manufacturing.
Commuter Programs
SMART Transit provides free assistance to businesses creating transportation plans and commuter assistance through the SMART Options programs.
Composting
Learn how you can save money and reduce waste by composting certain food scraps and yard waste. See information on different methods, and read about easy solutions to composting problems.
Employee Commute Options
Motor vehicles are one of the largest sources of air pollution in the Portland metro area. SMART helps businesses with 100+ employees at one site comply with DEQ Employee Commute Options Rules by offering free assistance with trip reduction plans, surveying employees and reporting to DEQ.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency saves money and reduces your carbon footprint. Portland General Electric provides renewable energy options to interested energy consumers. Energy Trust of Oregon provides intensive energy audits and advice on ways to save money by saving energy.
Green Cleaning Products
Many commercial cleaning products use ingredients that can be harmful to people and the environment. Fortunately, there are less-toxic products—green cleaners that can protect your business and the work environment. You can also save money by using some simple, safe ingredients to make your own non-toxic cleaners.
Hazardous Materials
If your business generates small amounts of hazardous waste, you may be eligible to dispose of hazardous waste at a designated Metro facility via the Conditionally Exempt Generator (CEG) program.
Recycle at Work
Metro, Clackamas County, and Allied Waste have programs to make recycling at work easier. Whether you work at an office, a restaurant or a construction site, you can reduce your waste by recycling in the workplace.
Town Center Vision Pilot Plan
From January to June 2011, Emerald Solutions, a group of Portland State Master's students, will work with the businesses, residents, workers, and visitors of the Town Center Pilot Area to collect input, create a draft vision, and recommend potential solutions that could be used to guide the Town Center Pilot Area to a more sustainable future.
Transit Pre-Tax Benefits
Federal law allows employers three ways to reduce the cost of commuting via public transportation or qualified parking for employees. Pre-tax limits are set by the IRS. When the employee pays part or all of the cost of public transportation via a pre-tax payroll deduction, the employee can set aside up to $230 a month of pre-tax income.
Water Conservation
The Regional Water Providers Consortium is committed to good stewardship of our region’s water through conservation, emergency preparedness planning and water supply coordination. As our water demands continue to grow, long term water supply issues, and the factors that impact them, will become more important to us all.