Washington County Recycle at Work Businesses!

Ash Creek Forest Management LLC - Tigard

Ash Creek Forest Management LLC, a natural resource restoration firm located in Tigard, uses only native plants to restore wetlands, riparian corridors, and other natural areas.  Over the past ten years, Ash Creek has installed more than 3.2 million native trees and shrubs. In addition, they have created purchasing policies to ensure the materials they bring into their office are as sustainable as the material they plant outside their office. Employees are partially compensated if they bike, walk, carpool or use public transportation to get to work, decreasing the number of cars on the road and their carbon emissions. "Ash Creek's mission is to make our world a better place.  We want everything we do to support this central mission,” George Kral, Forester.

ClubSport - Tigard

ClubSport Oregon, a fitness center located in Tigard has is committed to sustainable business practices. Durable dishware is used  in their café, fryer oil is collected and donated to a local company to make bio-fuel, and lighting and water fixtures have  been replaced with those which use less energy  and conserve water. “Green business practices just make sense for our club. Our members like it, it saves us money, and we  feel good about being part of a community solutions for sustainability and resource conservation,” said Shelle Garlock, Administrative Assistant.

GeoDesign Inc. - Tigard

GeoDesign Inc., a Tigard engineering consulting firm, is committed to sustainable business operations. Ongoing efforts range from replacing employee monitors with more energy-efficient models, to implementing a purchasing policy encouraging the use of recycled-content products. Employees even collect athletic shoes for recycling! The employee Green Team, The Renew Crew, adds to this culture by raising awareness among staff through newsletters and blogs providing green tips and Earth Day activities. “Our goal is to reduce our impact on the environment from the office to the home. We believe in good stewardship of the earth, both as a company and as individuals,” said Dacia Hawkins, Project Administrator.

MARCO Ideas Unlimited - Tigard

MARCO Ideas Unlimited, located in Tigard, helps organizations buy environmentally friendly, imprinted promotional products such as t-shirts made of bamboo fibers or pencils made of recycled newspaper.  MARCO has tackled waste prevention by setting copy printers to default to double-sided printing, and have designated a space in their supply room to store reusable packaging materials which they use to ship customer orders. Nancy Gudekunst, owner, is also involved in the Washington County Sustainability Network and the Home Builders Association Green Building Council, “We take environmental issues seriously and want to do our part to ensure a healthy world for future generations.  Our clients are happy to learn about ecological choices for promotions, which are increasing every day.”

Security Title Guaranty Co. - Hillsboro

Security Title Guaranty Co, a title company, purchases 30% recycled content paper and ensures each employee has the opportunity

to recycle paper, plastic bottles and tubs, and metal cans at their desk. All public area garbage cans are placed next to a recycling container.

“We make sure every staff member and client has the opportunity to recycle their waste whenever and wherever they dispose of it, “ says Christena Terjeson, Escrow Assistant.

Ticor Title Insurance (Amberglen) - Hillsboro

Ticor Title Insurance, a title company located

in Hillsboro, implemented a sustainable purchasing policy.  Instead of paper copies, Ticor distributes CD’s to its clients that contain the multiple closing documents generated when purchasing a home.    It saves more then 100 pieces of paper for each client. “It’s just the right thing to do, and it saves us money on office supplies,” said Heather McCarty Ticor Title Insurance Business Development Specialist.

Ticor Title Insurance - Tigard

Ticor Title Insurance, a title company in Tigard, has taken extra steps to ensure their office “goes green” by hosting trainings for the real estate agents they work with to encourage green business practices, to decreasing the paper consumed during each client transaction. “Our customers and our agents know we are committed to decreasing our overall waste, recycling, and promoting sustainable business practices to companies we work with and the clients,” said Business Development Specialist Leann Harris.

Vangelisti Kocher LLP - Cedar Hills

Vangelisti Kocher LLP, a legal firm specializing in personal injury cases, is so committed to recycling and sustainable business practices they scan incoming document and  maintain electronic files to use as little paper as possible. “We have been able to increase sustainability while at the same time improving efficiency and profitability,” says Richard Vangelisti. In addition to their paper reduction efforts, the firm uses durable dishware, collects draft paper for reuse, and takes material home for recycling that is not included within the building's recycling program.