With January being the start to many resolutions, we’re renewing our nearly 19 year career long focus on sustainability by implementing eco-friendly habits and processes in our office while continuing to support brands and organizations whose missions include protecting our planet.
1. Much of our recent work directly supports brands and organizations whose missions protect our planet. The Community Environmental Council (CEC), Kōkua Hawaii Foundation, BYOBottle, SB ChannelKeeper, Heal The Ocean, Enova Textiles, Santa Barbara Earth Day, and UCSB’s Edible Campus Program are examples of clients and partners to whom we provide innovative, data-backed solutions to achieve their goals.
2. Sustainable art made from “up-cycled” material makes our office both environmentally friendly and uniquely creative. Thanks to our in-house artist Matthew McAvene, our office includes innovative features such as our conference room Tiki Wall, which was made out of recycled mattress and furniture foam to create an incredible display that acts as a sound insulator for our downstairs conference room.
3. Water filters on our kitchen sink and fridge provide our staff and clients fresh drinking water and have eliminated the need for plastic bottles.
4. Rechargeable batteries take the place of traditional batteries and help to minimize e-waste.
5. Timers on lights and heaters ensure that electricity is not wasted or spent outside of business hours.
6. Recycling cans are present throughout the office. We also use re-usable products vs single-use products wherever possible. We’re currently working to begin recycling “film plastics”, which are not recyclable through traditional recycling processes. By saving our film plastics and delivering them to Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners, these hard-to-recycle plastics can be repurposed into home building materials.
7. Paperless when possible. Our team implements a variety of online services including Google Drive, Slack, Asana, and Quip to minimize paper usage. Team members also are given notebooks made from recycled materials.
8. Bulk orders cut down on packaging waste for office supplies, food, and other goods. Organization and planning help to avoid food waste.
9. Real plants help to improve the air quality in our office, unlike fake plastic plants which do not decompose and may end up in landfills.
10. Giving the gift of sustainability. This holiday season we encouraged our staff and partners to live more sustainably by gifting them with a 5 piece travel set of bamboo cutlery.
This year we also plan to gain our license as an Official Green Business. The Green Business Program of Santa Barbara County, which provides resources and assistance to businesses wanting to be green, certifies businesses through workshops and training, on-site visits and evaluations, and highlights certified businesses so that local consumers can shop green.
