Business composting success!



The Embassy Suites hotel reduced food waste and saved thousands of dollars every month by separating food scraps. General Manager Scott Youngblood and Executive Chef Scott Hensley explain how they accomplished this in this 3-minute video. 

They: 

• Set up a compost service and collected food scraps separately from trash. 
• Collected and audited their food waste to determine if any of it could have been prevented. 
• Reduced the size of the buffet plate from 10” to 8”, resulting in a 50% reduction in customer food waste. 
• Adjusted how much food they purchased and how much they prepped. 
• Cross-utilized ingredients in multiple recipes. 

Once you start composting, you can easily see daily waste and allow for adjustments in food purchasing, prep and staff time.

Oregon Recycling Conference

Are you interested in waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and how it all comes together to serve our communities equitably? Join the Association of Oregon Recyclers (AOR) at the Salishan in Glen Eden Beach, Oregon from October 9-11 for the Sustainable Oregon 2023 conference. You'll learn from industry leaders and network with businesses, government officials and advocates from around the state.

Halloween is almost here!

If you are thinking of dressing up or having a Halloween-themed office party, consider visiting your local thrift and reuse stores for affordable and unique costume items. You might even find gently used Halloween decor to create a fun workplace! If you have leftover candy to share with your colleagues, just be sure candy wrappers do not end up in the recycling.

Safer workplace chemicals training

Join the Pacific Northwest OSHA Education Center for this virtual training on transitioning to safer chemicals used in your workplace. Check out their website for more information and other training opportunities.

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI)

ADI earned their certification by implementing many sustainability practices across their facility, including:



• A robust electronic waste recycling program.
• A gray water system that uses recycled water to flush toilets and urinals.
• Providing bike commuting staff with a tire repair kit, air pump and a spare lock.

Brew Dr. Kombucha

Brew Dr. Kombucha is a first-time certified business that has an impressive list of sustainability priorities. Some key practices include:



• They donate a percentage of their daily sales to local nonprofits.
• They have been a member of the “1% for the Planet” since 2017.
• They support equity, diversity and inclusion through strong company policies, staff trainings and contracting with a diverse group of vendors.
• They purchase 100% renewable energy for manufacturing their products. 

Woodfold Manufacturing

Woodfold Manufacturing earned their recertification with a long list of sustainable actions. Some highlights include:

• The business is 100% employee-owned.
• They have implemented a strategic energy management program to track and measure monthly energy usage.
• They prioritize sustainability education while onboarding new staff.